Archived: Riverside Care Centre

Updated 25 October 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection Team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has experience of, or of caring for someone who uses, this type of service.

Service and service type

Riverside Care Centre is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

The inspection took place on 08 October 2019 and was unannounced.

What we did when preparing for and carrying out this inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included information received from the provider about deaths, accidents and incidents and safeguarding alerts which they are required to send to us by law. We used information the provider sent to us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once a year to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We requested feedback from the Local Authority quality monitoring officers. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During our inspection

We spoke with six people living at the home and one person’s relative. Some people, due to their complex care needs and disabilities were unable to give us their feedback about the home. We spent time with people to see how staff supported them. We also spoke with seven members of staff including the deputy manager and the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records, including three people's care records and medication records. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service, including audits and systems for managing any complaints. We reviewed the provider’s records of their visits to the service; and records of when checks were made on the quality of care provided.

Updated 25 October 2019

About the service

Riverside Care Centre is a residential care home, providing personal care and accommodation for up to 24 people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder. There were 23 people living at the home at the time of the inspection. The home was divided into three separate buildings/houses for accommodation, and a separate building which housed the office. Each house could accommodate eight people over two separate floors with shared kitchens, lounges, gardens and dining room areas.

The service had been registered for several years. The provider was however taking into consideration the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance for the accommodation of people with learning disabilities. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used positive behaviour support principles to support people in the least restrictive way. No restrictive intervention practices were used.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People felt safe at Riverside Care Centre. Staff understood how to keep people safe and embraced team working to reduce potential risks to people.

People and their relatives were placed at the heart of the service and were involved in choosing their care and support, from pre-admission to living in the home. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The staff team worked hard to promote people’s dignity and prevent people from becoming socially isolated within the home. People were encouraged to be independent and make everyday decisions about how they wanted to live their lives. Respect and dignity were cornerstones of the values upheld by the staff.

People received kind, responsive person-centred care from staff who were well trained, motivated and supported by a registered manager who led the staff team to provide the best care they could. People knew how to raise concerns and provide feedback about the service.

People using the service benefited from a well led service. The service was led by a registered manager and deputy manager, who were supported by a provider committed to improving people’s lives. Partnership working enabled people to maintain their wellbeing.

Rating at last inspection

The last comprehensive inspection report for Riverside Care Centre (published February 2017) and we gave a rating of Good in all areas except well led, which was rated as requires improvement. At this inspection we found the service continued to be Good overall and have rated the service as Good in all areas.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.