Norton House

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.