Meadow Acres, in Crabtree Lane, was inspected between December 9, 2025, and January 12, 2026, with assessors identifying potential risks for those supported by the service.
The care home provides personal support to individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Eight people were under the service’s care at the time of inspection.
In the report published on March 6, inspectors found elements of care to be unsafe, highlighting particular concerns surrounded risk management, restrictive practices and good governance.
“These issues posed risks to people’s safety and wellbeing and required urgent attention,” the report began.
The “caring” category was deemed inadequate as the CQC found that people were not always supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
“Staff practices during personal care lacked continuity and did not demonstrate reassurance, dignity or respect, with frequent staff changes and limited communication contributing to a person becoming distressed,” the report continued.
“In addition, the use of ‘tartan bibs’ did not uphold people’s dignity, as there was no evidenced rationale for their use, many individuals did not require them, and management had not explored more dignified alternatives designed to resemble ordinary clothing.”
The provider was believed to care and promote the wellbeing of its staff however. Members of the team said they felt supported and valued.
CQC also identified holes in the responsiveness of the service. People’s needs were not always met and there were inconsistencies in how tailored care was for certain individuals.
“Inconsistencies in care delivery were also evident,” the report continued.
“People were not always treated as individuals, and there were disparities in how communication, independence, and meaningful activity were supported.
“Care plans were detailed in the most part however did not consistently reflect people’s goals, preferences, or aspirations. This limited people’s ability to be involved in decisions about their care and reduced opportunities for promoting autonomy and wellbeing.”
Meadow Acres’ leadership came under fire too, as inspectors said leaders, and the culture they created, “did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care”.
The report said: “The management team did not have a clear shared vision and culture which was based on transparency, equality and human rights.
“We observed staff interactions to be caring, however we found further improvements needed to be made to instil a culture of care in which staff truly promoted people’s individuality, protected their rights and enabled them to develop and flourish.”
According to some staff, if they were to express concerns or issues these may not be acknowledged or appropriately acted upon. They also described past situations where concerns about colleagues had been escalated but were perceived as not being transparently managed.
“The management team responded immediately to this and put together additional training and work around closed cultures,” inspectors observed.
“This reflected a growing sense of shared direction and a commitment to building a more cohesive and supportive culture across the service.”
Despite overall concerns, Meadow Acres was handed a “good” rating within the effective category.
“This meant the effectiveness of people’s care, treatment and support achieve good outcomes, however sometimes inconsistent,” the report explained.
People under the service’s care were said to be supported when accessing healthcare services and attending appointments. Staff worked closely with professionals such as GPs, social workers, and mental health teams to ensure continuity of care.
They also supported people to make their own decisions and “respected their right to take informed risks”.
Inspectors said feedback from relatives was positive throughout, who “felt their loved ones were safe and well cared for”.
A CareTech spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the CQC’s recent report on Meadow Acres and are working closely with the regulator to address all identified areas for improvement. The safety and wellbeing of the people we support remains our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring high-quality care across all our services.”
According to CQC, CareTech has requested a review of one or more of the ratings, at the time of writing.