Barleycroft Care Home Slammed for Safety Failings in Shocking CQC Report
The Barleycroft Care Home in Spring Gardens, Chadwell Heath, has been slapped with a ‘Requires Improvement’ rating after a surprise Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection exposed serious safety and management issues.
Serious Safety Risks Uncovered
The unannounced May inspection zeroed in on the ‘safe’ and ‘well-led’ care standards. The CQC found breaches of legal standards that put residents’ safety and health at risk.
Key dangers highlighted:
- Three fire doors found to be faulty – not shutting properly.
- Boiling water dispensers in kitchen areas easily accessible to residents, risking serious scalds, especially for those with sensory impairments.
- Risk assessments missing or incomplete for medical emergencies such as seizures and diabetes.
- Care plans lacking clear instructions on when to call emergency services.
The fire doors were fixed the same day. The home was also ordered to act immediately on the boiling water hazards.
Inspection Verdict: Safety Systems ‘Ineffective’
The report, published on 29 July, warned there was “limited assurance” regarding safety, with an “increased risk that people could be harmed.” Yet, other aspects of care – effective, caring, and responsive – kept their previous ‘Good’ rating.
“The provider did not have effective systems to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service,” the CQC stated.
Some Positives Despite the Problems
The CQC did acknowledge areas where Barleycroft is getting it right:
- Strong systems in place to learn from incidents and avoid repeats.
- Infection control policies that meet national guidelines.
- Proper medication management ensuring safety.
- Governance aimed at continuous improvement.
Operator Abbey Healthcare Reacts
Abbey Healthcare, which runs the home, said they were “extremely disappointed” with the rating and plan to challenge the findings.
“We are extremely disappointed at the recent grading and proportionality of two of the themes (safe and well-led), especially when the bulk of the report is very positive and the remaining three themes remain ‘good’. We continue to challenge this rating as per the legal procedure.”
About Barleycroft Care Home
Barleycroft offers residential and dementia care as part of the Abbey Healthcare group. It has been a longstanding provider of elderly care in the borough, with previous inspections awarding an overall ‘Good’ rating.
