Riverside House

The service is a large adapted house with facilities over 4 floors. People have their own bedrooms and access to a variety of communal rooms and an enclosed garden.

Right Support: The service was a busy, larger than average, household where people enjoyed a good quality of life. People were regularly in and out of the service, interacting with others, making use of their personal space and communal resources as they wished. They participated in individual and/or group activities within the service, at the main 'Stepping Stones' site, or in their wider community. Work was ongoing to adapt the environment in line with people's sensory needs and changing mobility.

Some people had lived at Riverside for many years, they were happy and settled in their home. People were supported to maintain relationships with others who were important to them through regular visits, phone and video calls and celebrating special occasions. This included visiting family members who lived some distance away.

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.

Right Care: People's activities were tailored to their interests, preferences and needs. A professional said, "Riverside are working hard to expand meaningful activities and are thinking of the individual's specific needs, likes and dislikes and working with them directly to build on this." We saw people were confident when interacting with staff, often leading interactions and joking with them. People spent time with others and engaged in activities when it suited them.

Each person had a named staff member [keyworker] who supported them with planning and decision- making. People were supported to access appropriate health and dental care; Medicines and incidents were reviewed regularly with external professionals to ensure any restrictions were in people's best interests.

Legal authorisation had been sought as required when people were unable to consent to care. Staffing levels and staff training were reviewed in-line with activities and people's needs.

Right Culture: People lived in an inclusive and caring environment where they were valued and relationships were based on mutual respect and kindness. The manager led by example, working openly and setting clear expectations for staff. People and staff were listened to and their ideas and suggestions were welcomed.

The staff we spoke with were compassionate and empathetic and understood people's needs and risks. Staff were very positive about working at Riverside and praised the manager for ongoing improvements in the service, a staff member described their achievements as, "remarkable". Effective working relationships had been established with professionals and 5 out of 6 relatives said communication with Riverside was very good.

The provider was reviewing their governance and oversight arrangements to ensure they always had capacity to support services to make timely improvements when needed.