Warm Melody Retreat

52 Buxton Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 7HG

02070186700

Care Type

Residential Care

Assessment date

12 November 2024

Provider

RRC (GB) Ltd

Beds

4 beds

About Warm Melody Retreat

Warm Melody Retreat is a residential care home in Croydon, providing support for a small number of adults with mental health needs. Details of the Care Quality Commission's most recent findings are set out below.

Warm Melody Retreat is a residential care home providing support for up to four adults with mental health needs. The CQC assessed the service after concerns were raised about unlawful restraint, and inspectors found staff had used restraint disproportionately. The provider introduced immediate safety measures and updated training in response.

Inspectors also found gaps in person-centred care, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent adherence to the Mental Capacity Act. Premises maintenance and managerial oversight needed improvement, and several regulatory breaches were identified. Some residents said they did not always feel supported, particularly at night or with outside activities.

The service has been rated Requires Improvement overall.

Source: CQC assessment, 14 August 2025

Specialist Care

Mental healthPhysical disabilitiesSensory impairmentsYounger 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 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 4 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CR7 7HG

Registered care categories

Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Mental health conditions; Physical disabilities; Sensory impairment; Substance misuse problems.

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: Requires Improvement.

Assessment published 14 August 2025. Assessment date recorded: 12 November 2024.

Read CQC's assessment overview

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 14 August 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of assessment: 14 November 2024.
Warm Melody Retreat is a residential care home for up to 4 adults with mental health needs. We carried out an assessment due to concerns about unlawful restraint. At the time of our visit there were 3 people using the service and only 1 person received the regulated activity.
The assessment was prompted in part due to concerns received about disproportionate use of restraint. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine this concern. We found disproportionate use of restraint by staff. The provider responded by implementing immediate safety measures and ensured staff received updated training.
Risk management and person-centered care were lacking. The service did not consistently provide person-centered care or uphold the Mental Capacity Act. Risk assessments were not collaboratively developed, and recruitment and staff training needed further improvement. While infection control and medication management procedures were sufficient and followed by staff, premises maintenance was inconsistent. Essential safety checks were completed.
There was a lack of managerial oversight. A development plan covering 2024 to 2025, addressed some of the concerns found during this visit but it lacked clear objectives and timescales. The service was in breach of regulations relating to person centred care, need for consent, safe care and treatment, safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment, premises and equipment, staffing, good governance and notifications.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

Safe: Requires Improvement
Effective: Requires Improvement
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Requires Improvement

Questions prompted by these ratings

Safe: What changes have been made to medicines, staffing and safeguarding since this rating?
Effective: How are staff training, nutrition and health outcomes checked now?
Well-led: What has changed in management, checks and oversight since this rating?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Warm Melody Retreat'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 Warm Melody Retreat, consider asking...

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

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Warm Melody Retreat, look out for...

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

Could the NHS fund Warm Melody Retreat'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.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees