- Care home
Norwood House
Assessment report published 6 July 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 21 May and 2 June 2026.
Norwood House is a residential care service providing accommodation and personal care for up to 20 people. At the time of the assessment 12 people were using the service. Some people were living with dementia, and others had mental health needs and learning disabilities.
We assessed the service against Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture guidance. However, the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture were not consistently embedded, particularly in relation to person-centred care planning, opportunities for people to achieve meaningful outcomes, and consistent governance oversight.
We found breaches of regulation relating to safe care and treatment, premises and equipment, and governance. These included continued breaches where improvements had not been sustained.
The provider acted during the inspection to address concerns. This included engaging a maintenance worker to complete repairs, replacing worn furnishings, improving cleaning practices, updating medicines systems, and reviewing aspects of care planning. Immediate risks were addressed, including relocation of a resident from a room affected by odour and improvements to medicines recording and protocols.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
People experienced kind and supportive care in their day-to-day interactions with staff and staff understood their needs, promoting independence and access to healthcare. The provider had taken positive steps to support staff and people, including introducing a training system accessible in multiple languages and using translation tools to support communication and understanding. Adaptations were made to promote independence, such as accessible information formats and adapted equipment for eating. People told us they felt safe.
However, the quality and consistency of care did not always meet expected standards. Care planning was not always complete or consistently updated, including gaps in consent, future planning and individual goals. Improvements had been made since the previous inspection but had not always been sustained or embedded.
The environment was not always well maintained, with ongoing issues including maintenance concerns, cleanliness and a persistent unpleasant odour in a bedroom.
Governance systems were not consistently effective in identifying, assessing and improving the quality and safety of the service. Management audits had not always identified or acted on risks, and improvements were often reactive rather than proactive.
People's experience of this service
People spoke positively about their experience of living at Norwood House and described staff as kind, supportive and approachable. People told us they felt safe and were supported by making day-to-day choices about their routines, meals, and activities.
We gathered feedback from people and relatives, alongside observations of care and review of records to understand people’s experiences. People were supported to maintain their health and access healthcare services and valued their relationships with staff.
However, while people expressed general satisfaction with their care, our assessment found some aspects did not consistently meet expected standards. Opportunities to take part in meaningful activities and achieve personal goals were limited and not always tailored to individual preferences.
Care planning did not always demonstrate how people’s views had been used to shape their care or longer-term outcomes. There was also limited evidence that people with more complex needs experienced consistently equitable outcomes.
Although people described the environment as comfortable, some areas required further improvement to ensure a consistently well-maintained home.
Overall, people felt cared for and supported by staff who knew them well, but inconsistencies in care planning, activities and the environment meant experiences were not always fully person-centered.