- Care home
Windward House
Assessment report published 19 February 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 18 November to 26 November 2025. We visited Windward House on 18 November and 24 November 2025. The service was supporting 23 people at the time of our assessment, of a possible 42 places provided by the service. The service is a residential service providing support to older people some of whom are living with dementia.
We assessed 21 Quality Statements under 3 Key Questions of: Safe, Effective, and Well Led. Our overall rating for this service is Good.
The provider was previously in breach of 5 legal regulations in relation to safeguarding, safe and effective staffing, safe care and treatment, consent, and good governance. Improvements were found at this assessment, and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.
People were protected and kept safe. The service risk assessed people’s needs and acted when needed. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs.
This assessment found there were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to meet people’s needs. Managers made sure staff received training and regular supervision and appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well.
People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy and people were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity and the confidentiality of their information. Staff treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care. People were able to take part in activities and engagement which ensured everyone had enough stimulating activity in their lives.
The service worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving between services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment. Leaders in the home were aware they needed to further develop aspects of dementia care to fully meet peoples’ needs.
The provider was overseeing the governance and improvement of the service. The service leadership team and the provider supported staff wellbeing and there was a shared vision and culture in the service. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas.
People's experience of this service
People were positive about the quality of the service overall now the new permanent managers had taken over the service. One person said, “I like it as it is now. You get tea and biscuits in the morning and cake in the afternoon. Putting fruit in the lounge is new, as is the home-made cake.” Another person said, “I’d say it was a good home, it’s a very happy place.” People were positive about the quality of their care, and felt safe. A person said, “It’s very quiet at night. I feel safe here, I’ve got no concerns at all.” Another person said, “I’m happy with things here. I feel safe in that there’s always someone here.” People and their relatives spoke positively about the quality of the food provided by the service. One person said, “The food is good. It’s hot and a good choice. The cook will ask you if you want a change to the meals. The meals are out of this world.” Another person said, “You can have food upstairs or downstairs. I prefer food in my room. There is lots of home-made food, it’s not bought in. We’ve got two good chefs.” People said the home was well maintained and was kept clean and tidy. One person said, “My room is always kept clean.” Another person said, “My room is cleaned regularly and they are very good.” People said they received good quality care from knowledgeable staff. One person said "Sometimes you don’t feel like being helped but they talk you round which is good. They’ve had the right training to do that.” Another person said, “The staff are brilliant. They are pleasant and polite, and you can have a laugh and a chat with them.” People said they were encouraged to maintain their independence and made sure any personal care was provided sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity. One person said, “The only help I have is with my daily shower. I wouldn’t be safe otherwise. I can dress myself. I stated when I came here that I wanted a female carer and I always get one.” Another person said, “They are always polite and I never feel unsafe. They always knock before they come in.” People said their staff knew them well and responded to their needs. One person said, “The staff here are extremely caring and I can’t speak too highly of them. I’m amazed I could ring my bell in the night if I wanted a drink. They always knock before coming in. I feel I have a good rapport with the staff and can have a joke with them ” Another person said, “They (the staff) are so good, I can’t believe how caring they are, it’s not an easy job.”
People commented that the activities and events provided by the service had much improved. One person said, “I don’t get bored. We had singers in yesterday and we are using the conservatory more. There are exercises and keep fit. There is a bus that takes us to Endsleigh (garden centre) and to the moors. It’s nice to get out. Things have definitely improved now they are using the conservatory, there’s more activities. We went to another (care) home in the village owned by the group for a barbecue.” Date of Assessment: 18 November to 26 November 2025. We visited Windward House on 18 November and 24 November 2025. The service was supporting 23 people at the time of our assessment, of a possible 42 places provided by the service. The service is a residential service providing support to older people some of whom are living with dementia. We assessed 21 Quality Statements under 3 Key Questions of: Safe, Effective, and Well Led. Our overall rating for this service is Good. The provider was previously in breach of 5 legal regulations in relation to safeguarding, safe and effective staffing, safe care and treatment, consent, and good governance. Improvements were found at this assessment, and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations. People were protected and kept safe. The service risk assessed people’s needs and acted when needed. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. This assessment found there were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to meet people’s needs. Managers made sure staff received training and regular supervision and appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well. People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy and people were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity and the confidentiality of their information. Staff treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care. People were able to take part in activities and engagement which ensured everyone had enough stimulating activity in their lives. The service worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving between services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment. Leaders in the home were aware they needed to further develop aspects of dementia care to fully meet peoples’ needs. The provider was overseeing the governance and improvement of the service. The service leadership team and the provider supported staff wellbeing and there was a shared vision and culture in the service. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. Windward HouseCare Homes06/11/2025 09:1902/03/202613/02/2026