CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Riverside Nursing Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Medicine records were not always clear or complete, especially for prescribed creams and fluid thickeners. Communal areas were not always supervised, although risk assessments, recruitment checks, safeguarding and infection control were found to be satisfactory.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training, induction and supervision. People received choices, enjoyed the food, and were supported to access health professionals and receive care in line with their needs.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Audits and other checks were not robust. There were no call-bell audits, night checks were not consistently recorded, and the provider could not give an average call-bell response time.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind and effective care, but medicines records, staffing oversight and quality checks needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 11 and 12 May 2023. Two inspectors and an Expert by Experience spoke with 6 people, 4 relatives and 7 staff. They reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Requires Improvement overall. Safe and Well-led were rated Requires Improvement. Effective was rated Good. Inspectors found unclear records for prescribed creams and fluid thickeners, weak auditing, and no system to check call-bell response times. Some people and relatives also reported too few staff and not enough activities.
Inspectors found people were protected from abuse, had their risks assessed, received their medicines, and were supported by trained staff. People enjoyed the food, were offered choices and received person-centred care. The overall rating fell from Good at the last inspection in 2019.
Protection from abuse
Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse and staff knew how to report concerns.
“People were protected from the risks of abuse and staff were trusted to keep them safe.” from the report
Food and choice
Staff showed people the meal options and supported them to choose. People spoke positively about the food and snacks.
“People told us meals were of a very good standard and they enjoyed the food.” from the report
Staff training
Staff received induction, role-related training and regular supervision. They also had their medicine skills checked.
“Staff had regular training and opportunities for supervision.” from the report
Person-centred care
Staff knew people's preferences and supported their choices. Inspectors saw evidence of a caring and person-centred approach.
“Person-centred care was promoted.” from the report
Medicine records
seriousRecords did not clearly show when prescribed creams and fluid thickeners were given. Body maps for cream application were also missing, and the audit did not identify these problems.
“Medicine recording systems were not robust and the recording of prescribed creams was unclear.” from the report
Quality checks
seriousThe home did not have strong enough systems to check care plans, daily records, call-bell response times and night checks. This led to a breach of Regulation 17.
“The provider had not operated robust systems and processes to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service.” from the report
Staffing and supervision
needs fixingCommunal areas were sometimes left without staff supervision. Some people and relatives said staff were slow to respond or that staffing had been short.
“Some people and their relatives told us there was a lack of staff.” from the report
Activities and stimulation
needs fixingPeople and relatives reported too few activities and not enough stimulation. CQC recommended that the provider review what it offers.
“People and their relatives told us there was a lack of activities and stimulation for people accessing the service.” from the report
- 01How are you now recording prescribed creams and fluid thickeners, and how do you check that the records are complete?
- 02How do you monitor staffing levels and make sure communal areas are supervised at all times?
- 03What is the average call-bell response time now, and can you show families the results of your call-bell audits?
- 04How are night checks recorded and reviewed by managers?
- 05What activities and stimulation are now available, particularly for people living with dementia?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led only; the other key-question ratings carried over from the last inspection in 2019. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 June 2023 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, February 2022
The Riverside Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting and staffing pressures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 13 January 2022. It focused on infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19-related staffing pressures affected care.
Inspectors found that visitors were being protected from infection. Staff were using personal protective equipment correctly, testing arrangements were in place and the home had plans for isolation and managing outbreaks.
The home had a safe visiting area, with ventilation and cleaning between visits. Inspectors were also assured that people could access healthcare and attend hospital safely when needed.
The service was inspected but not rated. Only parts of the Safe question were examined, so this report does not provide a new overall rating or ratings for the other questions.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had effective arrangements to prevent and manage infections, including the use of PPE, testing and hygiene measures.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
The home provided a ventilated visiting area and cleaned it between visits. It also made arrangements for people in their own rooms and supported contact by telephone or video when needed.
“The room was well-ventilated and cleaned between visitors.” from the report
Support during isolation
The home had clear plans for people who needed to self-isolate and provided extra support to people who found isolation difficult.
“For those people who struggled with isolation additional support was provided.” from the report
Access to healthcare
Staff supported people to access healthcare and had arrangements for safe hospital attendance.
“Staff continued to support people to access healthcare, and arrangements were in place should people need to attend hospital safely.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage staffing pressures, and have these affected people's care?
- 02How are visitors currently screened, supported and kept safe from infection?
- 03How are PPE use, testing and staff vaccination requirements checked now?
- 04What happens if someone needs to self-isolate, and how will they keep in touch with relatives?
- 05How will the home support someone who needs to attend hospital?
This was a targeted inspection of staffing pressures and infection prevention and control within the Safe question; the other key questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 February 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of The Riverside Nursing Home
6 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- June 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2017Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: InadequateResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- January 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 September 2014.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Rochdale
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 92 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Primrose is a very kind and compassionate healthcare professional”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.