We inspected Windmill Court on 7 October 2014. Windmill Court is a care home for older people who require nursing or personal care. It provides ground floor accommodation for up to 34 people. At the time of the inspection there were 33 people living at Windmill Court.
There was a registered manager in post at Windmill Court. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were happy living at Windmill Court. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and we observed staff and people living at the service were relaxed in each other’s company. One person told us; “We get wonderful loving care from the staff.” We saw visitors come and go throughout our visit, one came with a pet dog. This was welcomed by the service.
During our inspection we saw people looked well cared for and their needs were met quickly and appropriately. We found some records relating to people’s medicines and creams were not always accurate or regularly completed by care staff. This meant it was not possible to establish if people had received prescribed medicines or creams. Some charts that recorded when people were moved in order to prevent pressure areas developing were not adequately kept. We have required the service to always keep the records of peoples care adequately. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
People who used the service and their relatives were very complimentary about the care and support they received from staff and management who they felt were knowledgeable and competent to meet their individual needs. For example one person told us; “They know me well and know what I like and how I like things done.”
People told us they felt safe. One person told us; “This is my home and it feels just like that.” We found the service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People’s human rights were properly recognised and promoted.
Staff understood the needs of the people and we saw that care was provided with kindness and compassion. People and their families told us they were happy with their care. A relative told us it’s a; “Really nice place with a good team who make you feel really welcome” and “The management and staff are a brilliant bunch, it is always a pleasure to visit here.”
Staff were appropriately trained and skilled and provided care in a safe environment. New staff received a thorough induction when they joined the home and fully understood their roles and responsibilities, as well as the values and philosophy of the service. Training was completed by staff to ensure the care provided to people was safe and effective and met their needs.
People were supported to live their lives in the way they chose. People were asked about how they liked to spend their time and their choices were respected. There was a programme of group and individual activities which people were encouraged to take part in if they wished
People were asked what they thought of their service at regular resident’s meetings. People told us they saw the registered manager most days who they could speak with if they wished. Two visitors told us they found it very helpful to have a copy of the minutes of the last residents meeting attached to the current agenda for the next meeting sent to them. Staff were asked for their views about the service at regular staff meetings.
Care plans were well laid out and regularly updated to reflect people’s changing needs. People and their families were involved in the planning of their care and were treated with dignity, privacy and respect.
The premises were accessible, well maintained and comfortable. There were appropriate spaces for people to spend time with visitors; taking part in activities, just chatting together or spending time on their own.
There were positive relationships between staff and management. One staff member told us, “I am happy here, this is a good home to work in, we are a good team, we get good support.” Everyone we spoke with spoke positively about the kindness and compassion at Windmill Court.
The provider took steps to help ensure staff were skilled. Staff were encouraged to attend training in areas specific to the needs of people living at the home, for example, dementia care and mental capacity training. This helped ensure best practice was followed by staff in the home.
The registered manager assessed and monitored the quality of care consistently. The home encouraged feedback from people and families, which they used to make improvements to the service.