Windsor Care Centre is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. We regulate both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Windsor Care Centre can accommodate up to 72 people across two floors, each of which has separate adapted facilities. The service provides care to older adults. People live in their own bedrooms and have access to communal facilities such as a bathrooms, lounges and activities areas.

Windsor Care Centre is also part of the ‘Trusted Assessor’ scheme. The scheme aims to reduce the numbers and waiting times of people awaiting discharge from hospital and help them to move from hospital back home or to another setting speedily, effectively and safely. At the time of our inspection, there were 42 people living at the service.

The provider is required to have a registered manager as part of their conditions of registration. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. At the time of our inspection, there was a registered manager in post.

This is our first inspection of the service since the provider registered with us on 6 March 2017.

People and relatives told us staff were caring, kind and compassionate. Some of the comments included, “Staff are kind, considerate, helpful and usually cheerful” and “So far they (staff) have been very good, kind and understanding.”

Staff had good knowledge of people’s care and support needs. People were treated with dignity; respect and their privacy was protected. People’s independence was promoted and their family and friends told us they had free access to them with no restrictions.

People and relatives felt they were kept safe from abuse. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to keep people safe from harm and abuse. People’s personal safety had been assessed and plans were in place to minimise them. There were sufficient numbers of suitable staff to support people to stay safe and robust recruitment practices were in place. Medicines were administered safely by competent staff and people were kept safe from infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. The service was compliant with Mental Capacity Act and its codes of practice.

People’s needs and choices were assessed and care; treatment and support delivered to achieve effective outcomes. Staff respected people’s religious and cultural beliefs to ensure they did not discriminate against them when making care and support decisions. We have made a recommendation for the service to seek current guidance in relation to protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

People and relatives felt staff were skilled and experienced. Staff were appropriately inducted; trained and supervised. However, we have made a recommendation for the service to seek current guidance and best practice in relation to dementia training for staff. The service worked pro-actively with other health and social care professionals to ensure people’s nutritional and health needs were met.

Most people felt they were supported to follow their interests and take in social activities. However, we have made recommendation for the service to seek current guidance and best practice on the provision of activities for people living with and without dementia. People or those who represented them could contribute to the planning of care, treatment and support. This ensured people’s plans of care were developed to meet their specific care and support needs. We saw plans of care and identified risks were regularly reviewed for their effectiveness.

People and relatives knew how t