Scabies Outbreak & Neglect at Surrey Care Home

Windmill Manor in Oxted, a care home specializing in dementia patients, has been placed in special measures following an "inadequate" Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in April 2026. Inspectors documented critical failings, including residents not being washed for extended periods and a poorly managed scabies outbreak where staff and relatives were not informed, risking further spread.

Critically, inspectors found "undignified language" in resident records, with one person described as presenting "almost like a zombie." Families and residents reported not always feeling safe or listened to. Consent was frequently not sought before implementing restrictions, such as hiding medication in food without residents' knowledge.

This situation follows a December 2025 inquest where a coroner criticized the home after a patient developed sores due to lack of repositioning, contributing to her death. The CQC has demanded immediate improvements, vowing to monitor the service closely. The operator, Barchester, expressed deep concern and committed to embedding necessary changes.