Last updated 17 February 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This unannounced inspection took place on 22 December 2016. It was undertaken by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using, or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this information to assist with planning the inspection.

We looked at all the information we held about the service including notifications. A notification is information about events that the registered persons are required, by law, to tell us about.

We also asked for feedback from the commissioners of people’s care and Healthwatch Norfolk.

During our inspection we spoke with 10 people about their experience of living at Corton house. We also spoke with two people’s relatives, two volunteers, the hairdresser, a visiting healthcare professional, and six staff. The staff included the registered manager, the head of care, the training supervisor, a cook and two care workers. Throughout the inspection we observed how the staff interacted with people who lived in the service.

We looked at two people’s care records, staff training and recruitment records and other records relating to the management of the service. These included audits, and survey results.

Following our inspection the registered manager sent us further information about compliments the service had received and about medicines management. We also spoke to a representative from a local school who co-ordinates students to visit the service as volunteers.