CQC Press Release Roundup November 2025

In November, the CQC sent out 40 press releases to the media. We analysed the sentiment of these headlines to understand the mood of the sector.

The result was a perfect balance. Half of the news releases focused on improvements and Outstanding care. The other half drew attention to failures and urgent actions. This summary breaks down those 40 stories to help you see the full picture behind the headlines.

November Press Release Sentiment by Sector

A Widening Gap Between Innovation and Neglect in Care Homes

The care home sector dominated the regulator's communications in November with 16 press releases.

The message showed a clear difference between services that are innovating and those failing to provide basic safety. While the majority of headlines were negative, with 10 homes requiring urgent action, the details show that recovery is possible.

The most encouraging news came from three homes. These are Brenalwood Care Home in Essex, Cedardale Residential Home in Kent and Maple Lodge in Colchester.

All three were removed from Special Measures and upgraded to Good. This proves that with renewed leadership, even Inadequate services can rebuild trust.

At the top end, the regulator highlighted exceptional creativity. Kings Court Care Centre in Wiltshire was upgraded to Outstanding after staff built a replica bus stop inside the home. This helped reduce anxiety for residents with dementia. Similarly, Montagu Hall in Doncaster achieved Outstanding on its first inspection. It was praised for vibrant activities like Indian dance workshops.

However, the negative reports paint a worrying picture of leadership failure. Restgarth Care Home in Cornwall faced urgent action after CCTV revealed a resident was left in a chair for nine hours without support.

Conditions were similarly poor at The Amwell in Leicestershire. Inspectors found urine-stained mattresses and rusty equipment there. Perhaps most concerning was Welcome House in Kent. A toxic culture meant serious abuse incidents went unreported. These cases remind us that without oversight, the safety of vulnerable residents is immediately compromised.

Safety Gains and Governance Failures in Hospitals

The hospital sector presented a mixed picture. There was a clear divide between successful maternity turnarounds and systemic leadership struggles.

Maternity services provided the positive news. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust saw its maternity rating upgraded to Good. This happened after they moved the triage unit next to the delivery suite for faster responses.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals was also upgraded to Good after successfully recruiting 41 new midwives. These examples prove that targeted investment and operational changes directly improve safety.

However, wider governance remains a major challenge. Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust received an Inadequate rating for leadership. Inspectors noted low staff morale and systemic failures. Emergency care also struggled. Medway Maritime Hospital was rated Requires Improvement after inspectors found 13% of patients waited over 12 hours.

Outstanding Care Dominates Home Services

The home care sector provided the best news of the month. With four out of five services rated Outstanding, community providers are succeeding in delivering personalised support.

Prestige Nursing in Leicester was upgraded to Outstanding for its success in complex care. The team helped clients manage pain effectively. Bromley Mind (Mindcare) was described by relatives as a "lifeline" for dementia support.

CJP Outreach Services was praised for sending familiar staff to support clients during hospital stays. Home Instead Rugby also achieved the top rating. This proves that personal relationships are the key to success.

There was only one significant failure. Vogue Future Living Limited was downgraded to Inadequate and placed in special measures. Untrained staff were found supporting complex tasks like catheter care. The service also failed to refer a client with swallowing difficulties to speech therapy. This highlights that while the sector is performing well, poor training can still lead to dangerous gaps in safety.

Outstanding Access Vs Toxic Culture in General Practice

The November reports for GP practices reveal a "postcode lottery" in quality. Three practices achieved Outstanding ratings while two faced urgent action.

High performers solved common access problems. Medwyn Surgery retained its Outstanding rating. It recorded 79% of patients finding it easy to get through by phone. This is far above the national average. Whitecliff Surgery was upgraded to Outstanding for tackling inequality. They did this by integrating Citizens Advice support directly into the practice.

However, Lanchester Medical Centre was rated Inadequate due to a toxic culture. Staff were afraid to raise concerns and this led to unsafe medicine management. Adelaide Surgery was also rated Inadequate after inspectors found a backlog of pathology results unread for over a month.

The contrast is sharp. Excellent practices are removing barriers while failing ones are losing track of basic patient needs.

Prevention Drives Local Authority Success

The assessment of Adult Social Care highlighted a divide between councils that prevent crises and those bogged down by delays.

The standout performer was the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham which was rated Outstanding. Despite high deprivation, the council achieved rapid results. Their quick arrangement of equipment and home adaptations helped boost reablement success rates from 44% to 71% in under a year. Sutton and Waltham Forest were both rated Good. They were praised for using smart technology and early help teams to keep people independent at home.

In contrast, Kirklees Council was rated Requires Improvement. While safeguarding was strong, residents faced lengthy delays for assessments. The CQC also flagged digital exclusion. They noted that people without internet access had few ways to contact the council. This creates a two-tier system for support.

Outstanding Care but Leadership Crisis in Specialist Services

Specialist services showed the starkest contrast of the month. This was life-saving support versus fundamental inequality.

New Vision Bradford is a drug and alcohol service. It was rated Outstanding on its first inspection and clients called it a "lifesaver." Farjo Hair Institute was also upgraded to Outstanding for innovation and leadership.

However, Sirona care & health C.I.C was downgraded to Requires Improvement for leadership. The regulator highlighted instability at board level and serious equality issues. Ethnic minority staff were four times less likely to be appointed to roles. Staff with disabilities also reported higher levels of discrimination.

The Caregraph View

The lesson from November is clear. Leadership defines care. Across 40 stories, the difference between Outstanding and Inadequate was not the budget. It was the culture.

We saw hope in three care homes turning around from Special Measures. This proves failure is not permanent. We saw innovation in a replica bus stop for dementia patients. But we also saw the cost of toxic environments at Sirona and Lanchester where silence risked safety.

Health and care are the pillars of society. When they work, like the rapid support in Barking, they change lives. The message from the CQC is simple. Strong and inclusive leadership is the non-negotiable foundation of safety.