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BarleycombeSuffolk

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Rated:GoodResidential

Barleycombe

Sudbury Road, Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 9HE
01787880203
Care Type

Residential Care

Assessment date

7 October 2025

Provider

Lifeways Community Care Limited

Beds

11 beds

About Barleycombe

Barleycombe is a residential care home in Suffolk, supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people. Full details from the CQC's most recent inspection are set out below.

Barleycombe is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 11 people, including a small flat for two, supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people. The CQC rated the service Good, finding staff supported people to make choices and stay independent, with risks well managed and enough skilled staff in place.

People and relatives spoke positively, describing happy residents involved in daily activities and community life. Communal areas and corridors were tired and needed redecoration, and some quality audits needed improvement, but overall governance provided effective oversight of care and safety.

Source: CQC assessment, 17 December 2025

Specialist Care

Learning disabilitiesOlder peopleYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service
Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity
11 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked
Registered · CO10 9HE

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Learning disabilities.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Assessment published 17 December 2025. Assessment date recorded: 7 October 2025.

Read CQC's assessment overview

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 17 December 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of assessment 4 November 2025 to 19 November 2025

Barleycombe is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care support up to 11 people in one adapted building, with a separate flat that can accommodate 2 people. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and autistic people. This assessment was in response to concerns raised with the Care Quality Commission in relation to another of the providers locations. At the time of our assessment there were 10 people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

People were supported to make choices and maintain control of their lives, with staff working in the least restrictive way. Risks were identified, and care plans included clear guidance to manage them. While the environment was clean, communal areas and corridors looked tired and were in need of redecoration; however, people had personalised their rooms and created warm, welcoming spaces which reflected their individuality. Staff understood how to recognise and report poor care and abuse and received sufficient training with the right skill mix. Safe recruitment processes were followed; people, staff and relatives told us there were enough staff to support people safely. People and relatives felt involved in care planning. Governance systems provided effective oversight of quality and safety; however, improvements were needed in completing some audits to ensure all information was captured and outcomes evidenced.

Safe
Good
Effective
Good
Caring
Good
Responsive
Good
Well-led
Good

Read Barleycombe's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Barleycombe, consider asking...

  1. 1.What happens if my relative's care needs increase significantly -- will they have to move?
  2. 2.How do you handle concerns or complaints from families?
  3. 3.What does the monthly fee cover and what will cost extra?
  4. 4.How do you keep families informed about their relative's day-to-day wellbeing?
  5. 5.What happens if my relative is unhappy here?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Barleycombe, look out for...

  1. 1.Do staff greet residents by name and stop to chat?
  2. 2.Are residents dressed, up and occupied, or sitting alone in front of a TV?
  3. 3.Does the home smell fresh and feel clean without being clinical?
  4. 4.Do residents look comfortable and at ease, or anxious and withdrawn?
  5. 5.Does the manager answer your questions openly or deflect?

Could the NHS fund Barleycombe's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Location

Sudbury Road, Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 9HE

CQC Logo

Barleycombe

CQC overall rating

Good

Assessment date: 7 October 2025

View full inspection report
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