Windmill Care Centre

Ratings

• Overall

  Requires improvement

• Safe

  Inadequate

• Effective

  Requires improvement

• Caring

  Requires improvement

• Responsive

  Requires improvement

• Well-led

  Requires improvement

Our view of the service

Date of assessment: 27 and 28 May 2025.

Windmill Care Centre is a nursing home providing support to adults of all ages. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting 45 people. Windmill Care Centre can accommodate a maximum of 53 people. This assessment was prompted following concerns received around staff bringing their children into the service whilst working, and the implications and risks associated with this for people using the service.

During this assessment, we found 5 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to consent, risk management, safeguarding, recruitment, and governance.

People were not always fully protected and kept safe. Medicines were not always managed safely. People and their relatives were not always involved in assessments and reviews of their needs. Risks to people, including distress and sexual safety were not always safely managed to prevent risk of avoidable harm. Staff did not ensure people’s informed consent was always obtained before providing care and treatment. Mental capacity assessments were not always carried out in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) principles. The manager did not have effective oversight of all staff recruitment, training and competency assessments. The management team investigated most incidents. However, we found some incidents were not investigated without delay and reported to the local authority safeguarding team when required. The service did not always work well with external health and social care partners. There were generally enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to support people.

People's experience of this service

During our assessment, we found people’s care did not always meet expected standards. People were not always responded to with their immediate needs. Care records did not always accurately reflect people’s needs and any incidents they may have been involved with. Systems and processes in place to ensure safe medicine management were not robust. People had been put at risk as a result of the lack of risk management, oversight and governance.

While the people we spoke to expressed that they were generally happy with their care, our assessment found the elements of care did not meet the expected standards. Most people and their relatives were positive about the quality of care and support they received. People described how staff treated them with kindness. People told us they felt safe, and we observed activities were available for people to engage with for social wellbeing.