CQC October 2025 News & Press Release Roundup
Analysis of CQC press releases and news for October shows a worrying picture of England's care system in crisis and a regulator in turmoil. As the "State of Care" report warns of "erosion," the CEO is gone, just after the CQC commenced its new public consultation.
The Caregraph's analysis 45 CQC press releases and news in October reveals a stark picture of a care system in crisis.
A wave of enforcement actions, 'Inadequate' ratings, and prosecutions shows deep-seated failings, particularly across England's hospitals and care homes.
This frontline data reinforces the CQC's own 'State of Care' report, published on October 24th, which CQC warns that a "lack of investment in community services... risks 'erosion' of care quality." The report links this systemic failure directly to persistent hospital discharge delays and a workforce at its breaking point.
This system-wide alert comes just after the bombshell announcement of Chief Executive Sir Julian Hartley's resignation with immediate effect over his connection to a failing trust. The timing is deeply ironic, as it comes just one week after the CQC launched its "Better regulation, better care" consultation, a major proposal to "improve how we assess health and care services, make judgements, and award ratings.
October's CQC Press Releases A Full Breakdown
The overall sentiment from the regulator was clearly negative. This negative trend was overwhelmingly driven by the Hospitals, which received the most negative coverage with 11 critical reports and only a single positive one. Care Homes also fared poorly, receiving twice as many negative reports (8) as positive (4). In contrast, the most positive news came from Councils, which secured 7 "Good" ratings, and the Community Based Care and Hospice sectors, which together received 8 positive ratings and only one negative.
© Caregraph 2025
A Dark October for Care Homes
The care home sector was a primary target of the CQC's enforcement actions in October, with news dominated by significant financial penalties and a wave of 'Inadequate' ratings.
The most severe actions involved two major prosecutions. One provider, Burdon Grange Care Home in Exeter, was ordered to pay a staggering £200,190 after two wheelchair users drowned and a third was seriously hurt when a leaking boat capsized during a day trip.
In a separate action, Maxine Barcas, a former registered manager of Woodview House Nursing Home was held personally accountable, being fined £7,690 for their failings.
Beyond these fines, the CQC published reports on six other homes that were rated 'Inadequate', many of which were either downgrades from a "Good" rating or repeat offenders.
| Care Home Name | Rating Outcome |
|---|---|
| Ruth Lodge Care Home | Rated Inadequate again |
| North Bay House | Downgraded from Good |
| Mayfield House (Cheshire) | Downgraded to Inadequate |
| Fairholme House | Rated Inadequate |
| Rodney House Care Home | Downgraded to Inadequate |
| Chestnut Lodge | Rated Inadequate |
This wave of bad news was only slightly offset by four positive reports, where providers were celebrated for achieving an 'Outstanding' rating (Holbeach Meadows, Bede House, Moorville House, and Stonebridge Nursing Home).
Hospitals Hit Hardest in October Reports
The hospital sector was overwhelmingly the focus of the CQC's negative press releases in October. The reports were dominated by serious failings, including a legal prosecution, 'Inadequate' ratings, and widespread calls for 'urgent improvements'.
The most severe report concerned University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHST), which pled guilty in court to failing to provide safe care and treatment for a 16-year-old girl who took her own life on hospital grounds after running from her ward, a court has heard.
This was followed by two significant downgrades to 'Inadequate': Basildon University Hospital and the specialist mental health provider St Andrews Healthcare Northampton.
Furthermore, a large cluster of trusts and specific hospital services were rated as 'Requires Improvement' or told to make "urgent improvements," pointing to systemic issues across leadership and key departments.
The only positive news from the entire sector was The Yorkshire Clinic, which was upgraded from 'Good' to 'Outstanding'.
How Hospitals and Care Homes Fared in CQC News in October
© Caregraph 2025
A Positive Picture for Council News
In a significant contrast to the hospital reports, the CQC's news feed painted a largely positive picture for local councils in October.
The regulator published 11 press releases regarding its new adult social care assessments. A clear majority of this news was favorable, with seven of the 11 (64%) reports highlighting "Good" performance.
| Council Name | CQC Rating |
|---|---|
| North Yorkshire Council | 🟢Good |
| Stockton-on-Tees Borough | 🟢Good |
| Bradford Council | 🟢Good |
| Calderdale Council | 🟢Good |
| Leeds City Council | 🟢Good |
| London Borough of Croydon | 🟢Good |
| East Sussex County Council | 🟢Good |
However, the news was not universally positive. Four press releases announced negative outcomes. East Riding of Yorkshire Council was rated 'Inadequate', while Hull City Council, Swindon Borough Council, and Reading Borough Council were all rated as 'Requires Improvement'.
An Outstanding Month for Community and Hospice Care
The brightest spark in October's CQC news came from the community-based and hospice care sectors, which were almost uniformly positive.
This included six community care providers, many of whom, such as Trinity Homecare and Abbots Care Limited, were praised for maintaining their top rating for a second or third consecutive time. The other "Outstanding" providers were:
| Provider Name | CQC Rating |
|---|---|
| 1st Homecare Solutions | ⭐Outstanding |
| Primary Care Sheffield | ⭐Outstanding |
| Creative Support – Brownley Road | ⭐Outstanding |
| Imagine Act and Succeed | ⭐Outstanding |
This positive wave was reinforced by perfect "Outstanding" ratings for both hospices reviewed: Acorns Children’s Hospice and Pilgrims Hospice Ashford, which was noted for receiving its top rating for a second time.
This overwhelmingly positive trend was marred by only one negative report: Threeways Dom Care, which was rated 'Inadequate'.
The Caregraph's analysis of CQC communications from October shows a sector where negative reports (54.5%) have overtaken positive ones (45.5%). Our own research confirms these CQC press releases were amplified by national, local, and trade media, sparking widespread discussion on platforms like LinkedIn.
The Caregraph View
We see the CQC Chief Executive's resignation as a necessary and positive sign of moral responsibility. It is an exemplary demonstration of accountability, showing that the CQC's leadership takes its duty to protect the public seriously.
While it is true that a failure in a hospital or care home is rarely personal, as it is often a collective systemic failing, the person who leads will always be held to account. The sector is clearly plagued by systemic issues that no single individual can solve. However, the fact that some organizations thrive even as others descend into crisis proves that strong leadership can make a profound difference, even in the face of these challenges.
The responsibility on the CQC's shoulders is immense. We hope it will continue to act decisively, as a true industry watchdog, to secure safe, high-quality care for everyone.
Disclaimer: The Caregraph does not seek to criticise the Care Quality Commission. Our analysis of press releases and news is intended to highlight what the regulator is communicating, including where information may appear inconsistent. The aim is to give the public a clearer understanding of these announcements and to encourage transparency, not to challenge or undermine the regulator’s role.
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