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Care Home Fails to Improve Despite Warnings, Faces Ongoing Scrutiny
12 Nov
Summary
- Care home placed in special measures in March 2025
- Operator issued 6 warning notices for lack of improvement
- Staff lacked skills and were reluctant to change
- Failures in care planning and getting residents to appointments
On November 12th, 2025, a care home called Lower Bowshaw was reported to be facing ongoing scrutiny from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after failing to make sufficient progress since being placed in special measures in March of this year.
The CQC's latest inspection in September 2025 found that the home's operator, Totalwest Limited, had been issued six warning notices to address a range of concerns. These included issues around safe recruitment practices, staffing levels, safeguarding procedures, person-centered care, and the overall management of the facility.
Inspectors noted that staff at Lower Bowshaw "did not always have the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively," and that some were "reluctant to change, meaning progression was slow." The report also highlighted failures in getting residents to important appointments and inaccuracies in care plans.
However, the CQC did acknowledge that staff and leaders treated people with "kindness, empathy, and compassion." A new management team was also said to be working on establishing better systems and processes to drive improvements at the troubled care home.
Despite these efforts, the CQC's findings suggest that Lower Bowshaw remains under significant pressure to address longstanding concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of its vulnerable residents.
