CQC Care Home Press Releases August 2025 Round-Up
In August 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued 58 press releases in total, with 12 specifically relating to care homes. The picture was heavily towards enforcement and poor ratings, with only one home highlighted positively.
The caregraph has analysed the CQC press releases for the July 2025 and we have noticed that over 70% of the media coverage received by the comes in that month were negative. When we carried out the same review for August 2025, we found that 91.7% of the care home press releases were negative. Only one, representing 8.3%, showed a positive image of the sector.
Looking back at July 2025, 18 care home press releases were published. Five services were covered positively (three Outstanding and two Good), while 13 were Inadequate, which meant more than 70% were negative. In reality, the CQC published 189 assessment reports in July, and only 10.6% were promoted through press releases.
We also found four Inadequate ratings and one Outstanding rating from late July that did not appear in August’s announcements. This suggests the CQC has internal criteria for deciding which inspection outcomes to promote in press releases.
Positive vs Negative coverage within care-home press releases
The Story of August
The only positive story came from The Park, Hornsea, which was rated Outstanding and recognised as an example of high-quality, person-centred care. This was also reported by the Hull Live.
The other 11 care home press releases carried negative coverage.
Financial Penalties
CQC released news of two prosecutions in August, showing how serious the regulator is about pursuing cases where providers are found at fault.
According to CQC data, 114 prosecutions had been brought between March 2009 and May 2025. With these latest cases, the total rises to 116. Caregraph will be preparing a series looking at this enforcement history in more detail.
Inadequate Ratings
There were the press releases of 9 care homes were rated Inadequate in August. Of these, three were downgraded from Good, five slipped from Requires Improvement, and one remained at Inadequate.
| From | To | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Good | Inadequate | 3 |
| Requires Improvement | Inadequate | 5 |
| Inadequate | Inadequate | 1 |
Rating Changes at a Glance
| Care Home | Previous Rating |
|---|---|
| Rose Villa Nursing Home, Hull | 🟡Requires Improvement |
| Bethany House, Harrogate | 🟡Requires Improvement |
| Roberttown Care Home, West Yorkshire | 🟢Good |
| Wellesley House, Wolverhampton | 🟡Requires Improvement |
| Bryony House, Birmingham | 🟡Requires Improvement |
| Fountain Care Home, Birmingham | 🟢Good |
| The Moorings, Isle of Wight | 🟢Good |
| Gloucester House, kent | 🔴Inadequate |
| Radcliffe Manor, Nottinghamshire | 🟡Requires Improvement |
The case of Gloucester House, Kent stood out.
CQC reported:
“Gloucester House informed CQC on 25 July 2025 they would be closing the home and had already contacted staff and residents about this decision. However, on 8 August the provider submitted to appeal CQC’s enforcement action. CQC will continue to monitor the home to ensure people are safe during this time.”
Kent Online reported on 29 July that families were fearful about the closure. Kent Live later covered how residents were given just 28 days to find new accommodation. The Caregraph contacted the home on 1 September, and they confirmed it would be closing this week.
Caregraph View
Care homes are a vital part of every community. They provide jobs while supporting vulnerable people. The August press releases show that most of the homes mentioned were placed under special measures, which reflects the regulator’s responsibility to act when standards fall. The fines also underline how far CQC will go when providers fail to meet their duties.
The saddest news of the month is the closure of Gloucester House. Despite whatever challenges or reasons lay behind its Inadequate rating, the outcome has brought stress and worry to residents, families, and staff.
