“Unsafe” Bodicote care home placed in special measures
22/10/2025
Inspectors found poor leadership had created unsafe conditions at Fairholme House
A Bodicote care home has been placed in special measures after the Care Quality Commission found “unsafe conditions for the people living there”.
Fairholme House on Church Street provides care for up to 22 people with support for the elderly, some of whom are living with dementia.
During an inspection in June and July the Care Quality Commission found the service provided was in breach of four regulations. These were in relation to providing people with person centred care, the need for consent, safe care and treatment, and good management of the service.
Two warning notices were issued to focus the home’s attention on making rapid and widespread improvements in how they provided safe care and treatment and how the service was being managed.
Roger James, the Care Quality Commission’s deputy director of operations in Oxfordshire, said: “During our inspection of Fairholme House, we found poor leadership had created unsafe conditions for the people living there. Leaders didn’t make sure systems were in place to protect them from harm, and they failed to identify or act on risks that put people in danger. As a result, staff practices didn’t always promote dignity, privacy, or autonomy, and people’s right to make choices about their daily lives wasn’t respected.
“We also saw that care records were incomplete and didn’t reflect their current needs, wishes, and preferences. One person told us they had to wait for long periods of time to leave their room, while another described not being offered a choice of when to bathe. These restrictions left people feeling frustrated, disempowered, and at times unsafe in a place they should’ve been able to call home.
“Leaders didn’t ensure staff had the training, knowledge, or supervision they needed to deliver safe and effective care. This meant staff were unclear about how to manage risks such as falls, swallowing difficulties, or safeguarding concerns. In some cases, incidents weren’t recorded, reviewed, or acted upon, which meant opportunities to prevent future harm were missed.
“We expect health and social care services to guarantee people’s safety, dignity, independence, and choice. It was unacceptable that this service failed to provide even the most basic standards of care and left people at risk of avoidable harm. We told leaders they must take immediate action to address these concerns. We will return to check on the home’s progress and won’t hesitate to use our regulatory powers further, if people still aren’t receiving the care they have a right to expect.”
The home had previously been rated good overall. This has now been downgraded to inadequate overall and for how safe, effective, responsive and well-led it is. Caring has also been downgraded from good to requires improvement.
During the latest visit inspectors found limited meaningful activities, leaving people without enough stimulation or engagement. Staff failed to offer people a choice of drink and did not explain delays at mealtimes, causing visible distress.
Staff left hazardous areas and materials unsecured, bathrooms were blocked and neglected and the registered manager failed to act on fire safety and audit concerns.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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