The unannounced inspection took place on the 5 December 2016.

Riverlea house is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to a maximum of forty-four people, some of whom may be diagnosed with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were forty-two people living in the service.

The service is required to and did have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff delivered support effectively and care was provided in a way that promoted people’s independence and wellbeing, whilst people’s safety was ensured. Staff were recruited and employed upon completion of appropriate checks as part of a robust recruitment process. Sufficient numbers of staff enabled people’s individual needs to be met adequately. Trained staff dispensed medications and monitored people’s health satisfactorily.

Staff understood their responsibilities and how to keep people safe. People’s rights were also protected because management and staff understood the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

The registered manager and staff ensured access to healthcare services were readily available to people and worked with a range of health professionals, such as social workers, community mental health nurses and GPs to implement care and support plans.

Staff were respectful and compassionate towards people ensuring privacy and dignity was valued. People were supported in a person centred way by staff who understood their roles in relation to encouraging independence whilst mitigating potential risks. People were supported to identify their own interests and pursue them with the assistance of staff. Person centred social activities took place within the service as well as in the community.

Systems were in place to make sure that people’s views were gathered. These included regular meetings, direct interactions with people and questionnaires being distributed to people, relatives and healthcare professionals. The service was assisted to run effectively by the use of quality monitoring audits carried out by the registered manager, which identified any improvements needed and actions were taken. A complaints procedure was in place and had been implemented appropriately by the management team.

People who use the service told us what it was like to live there and about their experience of care. We observed the care provided and saw good interactions between the people living there and the staff.

All of the people with whom we spoke gave us positive feedback about the service. One of them said "I really like it here" another stated they "would like to stay here till I die "We spoke to a carer who said "I am very happy with the service my relative has received".

People who use the service told us how they were treated by staff and involved in making choices about their care. We saw staff speaking politely and clearly to people, explaining what they were doing and offering people choices.

We saw that the physical health and diet of the people who lived there were a high priority to staff. Medication was managed safely and risks were considered when planning care. The equipment provided to support care was suitable and properly maintained.

We saw that the people who lived there were being cared for by staff who had the appropriate checks when employed and had been provided with adequate training and support to carry out the job. We found that the care records were fit for purpose.

We saw that the accommodation was clean and tidy and the people who use the service were happy and relaxed.

People who use the service told us what it was like to live at this service and described how they were treated by staff and their involvement in making choices about their care. They also told us about the quality of food and drink available. This was because this inspection was part of a themed inspection programme to assess whether older people living in care homes are treated with dignity and respect and whether their nutritional needs are met.

The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector joined by an Expert by Experience (people who have experience of using services and who can provide that perspective).

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

All of the 10 people with whom we spoke gave us generally positive feedback about the service. One of them said, "The staff are all tip top here and very attentive and polite. They make the place. I’ve no concerns about being here." A carer (relative) said, "I’ve been very impressed with the staff because they are genuinely caring and always look very professional and neat."