Birmingham care home in special measures following death
The CQC has downgraded the rating of Bryony House care home in Selly Oak.
Last updated 8th Aug 2025
The Care Quality Commission has downgraded the rating of Bryony House care home in Selly Oak, Birmingham, from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate'. The home has been placed into special measures following an inspection in May.
CQC carried out the inspection in part due to concerns it received about the service as well as an incident in which someone died. This incident is subject to further enquiries by CQC, so wasn't examined as part of this inspection.
Inspectors found that care had deteriorated, and the service was now in breach of five regulations in relation to safe care, safeguarding, the physical environment, treating people with dignity and respect, and management.
Amanda Lyndon, CQC’s deputy director for the Midlands, said: “When we inspected Bryony House, we found widespread issues throughout the home. Leaders hadn’t given consideration to people’s safety and the systems they had in place weren’t effective in protecting people from potential avoidable harm.
“Leaders didn’t always work well with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and how to achieve that. Managers didn’t always share concerns quickly and appropriately. We found an incident where people were put at risk of abuse, which managers hadn’t identified or reported to the relevant organisations.
“It was disappointing to see staff didn’t always treat people with respect and dignity. We found people’s daily records included judgemental statements, which was devaluing, and some interactions between staff and people were disrespectful.
“During our visit, we saw two staff acting inappropriately towards a resident, but managers didn’t have an effective strategy to prevent inappropriate behaviour or take action to safeguard people when bullying, harassment, or abuse happened. It is unacceptable that people who relied on staff to act as their advocates, in a place they called home, treated them this way.
“We also saw the home didn’t prioritise person-centred care. Staff didn’t always include information such as people’s likes, dislikes, or needs in their care plans, and the service’s systems and processes were ineffective in identifying and driving improvements.
“We have told leaders where we expect to see rapid, and widespread improvements. We will return to check on their 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.”
"Our team feel demoralised by how their efforts have been portrayed"
Bryony House told us: "We at Bryony House are deeply disappointed by the outcome of the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, which has resulted in the home being placed under Special Measures. While we fully support the need for high standards and transparency in care, we feel that the report released does not fully or fairly reflect the work, dedication, and commitment of our care team.
"The inspection report included a number of allegations and findings that we believe were either inaccurate or not properly investigated during the inspection process. Several points raised in the report were not discussed with staff or management at the time of the visit, and in some cases, do not accurately reflect the day-to-day operations or the care provided to our residents.
"We understand that inspections are vital to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those we support, and we take all feedback seriously. However, we also believe it is important to ensure that such assessments are balanced, fair, and based on clear evidence.
"Our team - many of whom have served this home and its residents with compassion and professionalism for years - feel demoralised by how their efforts have been portrayed. As a care home, we remain committed to delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred care. Since the inspection, we have already taken steps to review the report and identify any areas for genuine improvement, while also challenging inaccuracies through the appropriate channels.
"Bryony house will remain committed to working constructively with the CQC to ensure that Bryony House moves out of special measures as quickly as possible and upholding the highest standards of care for our residents, our staff, and families to restore confidence and continue to provide the care our residents deserve. We invite open communication and will be sharing updates with all as we move forward."