Windsor Court Care Home

Updated 9 April 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 25 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 9 April 2021

About the service

Windsor Court Care Home is registered to accommodate up to 48 people and provides care and support for older people. The service is split over three floors which were all accessible by stairs or a lift. There were 24 people using the service at time of inspection.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Improvements had been made since the last inspection to meet the regulations. However, we found that further improvements were needed to ensure these were embedded within the service.

The home had risk assessments for people and general assessments for the home. These had indicated a risk of legionella in the water system. The home was working in partnership with the environmental health office and an external water specialist to mitigate the risk. The home had made improvements to the cleanliness of the home and this included refurbishment and decoration of the main building. However, we found that there was an issue with the clinical waste collection which the registered manager sought to resolve during the inspection.

Improvements had been made in medicines management. Guidance was in place for medicines which are taken occasionally but the guidance needed to be developed further as it was not specific to the person. This meant that individual signs and symptoms could be missed. There were clear instructions and body maps for the application of prescribed creams. However, some labels were unclear due to handling and therefore instructions could not be read. The registered manager put immediate plans in place to address these concerns.

Staff had the necessary checks to work in a caring role and received training and ongoing supervision and support to do their job. Staff told us they felt supported and were proud to work at Windsor Court Care Home. People had regular access to healthcare services and health professionals told us they worked well with the home.

People felt safe and happy living at the home. Relatives were complimentary, and everyone felt involved in decisions within the home. Regular meetings were held, and satisfaction surveys were sent, and actions carried out.

Improvements had been made to care plans which were personalised and clear in supporting staff to meet people’s needs. End of life wishes, and preferences had been considered and people knew who to speak to if they wanted to make a complaint.

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 home supported this practice.

People were supported to maintain contact with those important to them including family and friends. Staff understood the importance of these contacts for people’s health and well-being. Staff knew people well and what made them individuals.

Quality and safety checks helped ensure people were safe and protected from harm. This meant the home could continually improve. Improvements in audits helped identify areas for development and this learning was shared with staff through handovers and meetings. The management of the home were respected.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 28 November 2018) and there were two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.