Norton House

Updated 12 March 2026

This assessment took place on 22 April 2026 and included an unannounced site visit.

The last rating for this service was good, (published on 11 May 2021) and at this assessment the rating has remained good.

Norton House, a care home without nursing for older adults, including people living with dementia. The service is registered to support up to 40 people and was supporting 36 people at the time of the inspection.

People experienced kind, compassionate and person‑centred care. People and relatives gave consistently positive feedback and told us they felt safe, comfortable and well cared for by staff who knew them well. Observations showed staff interacted calmly and respectfully, took time to reassure people and supported them at their own pace. People were supported to maintain dignity, choice and independence.

Care was effective. Assessments were completed before people moved to the service. These were reviewed as needs changed. Staff demonstrated good knowledge of people’s needs and worked with healthcare professionals to support people’s physical and mental health. People were supported to maintain their mobility, nutrition, hydration and emotional wellbeing, and care plans were adapted when needs changed.

The service was responsive. Admissions and transfers, including from hospital, were well organised and information was shared to support continuity of care. Families were involved and usually kept informed, which helped people feel reassured and supported.

Leaders were visible, approachable and responsive in day‑to‑day practice, including providing hands‑on support during busy periods. Governance systems were in place to monitor quality, safety and performance, and leaders understood their regulatory responsibilities. However, oversight of mandatory training and staff competence was not always effective. The training matrix was not up to date and records showed gaps in mandatory training, including among senior staff and team leaders. While some training was completed following feedback, this was not yet embedded through consistent oversight. We discussed this with the management team and they took action to address these issues and ensure staff completed the relevant training.

Overall, people experienced good care and positive outcomes.

Updated 12 March 2026

People’s experiences of care at the service were positive. People and relatives consistently described staff as kind, caring and attentive, even during busy periods. Many people said they felt safe and reassured by the presence of staff, and relatives expressed confidence in the care provided. People spoke positively about staff attitudes, describing them as polite, friendly and respectful.

Observations supported this feedback. We saw staff interacting with people in a calm and respectful way, particularly during mealtimes. Staff took time to reassure people, supported them at their own pace and responded appropriately when people were distressed or needed help. This was particularly evident for people living with dementia, where staff adapted their communication and approach to reduce anxiety.

People were supported to maintain choice and independence in their day‑to‑day lives. People described being able to decide how to spend their time and said staff encouraged them to do as much as possible for themselves, while providing support when needed. Relatives highlighted the importance of continuity of staff, saying this helped people feel settled and secure.

People and relatives said communication was generally good. Relatives described being kept informed about changes, incidents or concerns, which they found reassuring. While some people were less clear about formal processes such as meetings or complaints, they said they knew who to speak to if they needed help or wanted to raise a concern.

Overall, people experienced care that was compassionate, respectful and responsive to their needs, and most people and relatives said they would recommend the service to others.