Updated 16 December 2025
Norwood is a residential care service which supports older people some of whom may be living with dementia. It is located in the town of Ipswich and can support up to 46 people. We visited the home on the 7 and 14 January 2026 and the service was fully occupied. The inspection was carried out to review the service’s rating due to the length of time since our previous visit.
People were supported by very caring staff who demonstrated empathy and understanding of older people and people living with dementia. Staff knew people well and were able to describe the needs of the people they supported, and the help they required.
Care plans were personalised and considered people’s communication, personal and health needs. People were enabled to have control over their care and support. We observed staff supporting people and offering choices, including whether they wished to attend activities and what they would like to eat.
Relatives told us staff monitored their family members’ health effectively and took prompt action if they identified concerns. Several told us that their family members wellbeing had improved since moving into the service.
Regular reviews of people’s needs were undertaken. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. Where people did not have mental capacity to give consent to care, staff involved those important to the person in making decisions in their best interests.
The registered manager was experienced and knowledgeable and had confidence in the staff. They told us that they felt valued and respected. There was a strong emphasis on a team approach and staff worked in complimentary roles to ensure people experienced a seamless service. Staff development was prioritised and staff had access to a wide range of training opportunities. Regular staff meetings were held and competency checks undertaken to check on staff’s understanding of training and practice. Complaints were taken seriously and investigated.
The service worked well with other agencies and feedback from professionals was positive, telling us that staff were dedicated and knowledgeable and worked closely with them to promote people’s wellbeing.
The provider had processes in place for staff to report incidents, near misses and safety events. These were reviewed to identify learning, and we saw that where accidents had occurred, such as falls, steps taken to mitigate further harm. Regular checks were carried out on equipment and the environment to reduce the risk to people.
The provider had established effective governance systems and processes to check on the quality of care and drive improvement.