Dementia Care Home

Harker House Residential Care Home

Flowerpot Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR15 2TS

Residential homes

At a Glance

The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.

DCC Family Score
72/ 100
Weighted from family reviews
Dementia SpecialismConfirmed

Residential homes

Families Rate The Staff72 / 100

Staff warmth score

“Well Looked After”68%

of reviewers answered yes

Good to know

  • Registered beds38
  • SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
  • Last inspected2019-03-26

Save Harker House Residential Care Home to your shortlist

Keep a running list, add visit notes, and compare homes side-by-side. Free account — it takes a minute.

The Evidence

What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.

Section 01

What families say

People describe the staff as particularly attentive and friendly. There's a sense that the team here takes time to connect with residents, creating an atmosphere where people feel noticed and cared for.

The eight family priority themes

  • Staff warmth72
  • Compassion & dignity72
  • Cleanliness70
  • Activities & engagement60
  • Food quality60
  • Healthcare65
  • Management & leadership72
  • Resident happiness68
Section 02

What inspectors found

Inspected 2019-03-26

  • Is this home safe?

    Good
    The safe domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. Beyond this rating, the published inspection text does not provide specific detail about staffing levels, medicines management, falls monitoring, or infection control practices at Harker House. The home is registered for 38 residents and specialises in dementia care, which means safety considerations around night staffing and consistent staff relationships are particularly important. No concerns were flagged by the inspectors or the July 2023 data review.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the care effective?

    Good
    The effective domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. The published text does not include specific detail about care plan quality, dementia training content, GP access arrangements, or how food preferences and nutritional needs are managed at Harker House. The home is registered as a dementia specialist, which creates an expectation of trained staff and detailed person-centred care plans. No concerns were identified in the July 2023 review.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is this home caring?

    Good
    The caring domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. The published text does not include inspector observations of staff interactions, resident or family quotes about warmth or dignity, or specific examples of how privacy and preferred names are handled at Harker House. No concerns were identified in the July 2023 review.
    Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded
  • Is the home responsive?

    Good
    The responsive domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. The published text does not include information about the activities programme, one-to-one engagement, how the home supports residents with advanced dementia to have a meaningful day, or how end-of-life wishes are recorded and honoured. The home's specialism in dementia care makes the responsive domain particularly important for your parent. No concerns were flagged in the July 2023 review.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the home well-led?

    Good
    The well-led domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. The home operates under Norse Care (Services) Limited and has two registered managers listed alongside a nominated individual, suggesting a structured governance arrangement. The published inspection text does not provide detail about manager visibility on the floor, staff culture, how the home responds to complaints, or how it learns from incidents. No concerns were raised in the July 2023 review.
    Verified by inspector
  • Source: CQC inspection report →

    Section 03

    What the evidence base says

    The home provides specialist dementia care alongside general support for adults over 65. While the home specialises in dementia care, families considering Harker House might want to ask about their specific approach to supporting residents with memory challenges during a visit. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.

The DCC Verdict

Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.

72/ 100

DCC Family Score

Harker House holds a Good rating across all five inspection domains, which is a solid baseline, but the published inspection text contains very limited specific detail on what daily life looks like for your parent. The score reflects that positive rating while being honest about the gaps in what the inspection evidence actually tells us.

Homes in East typically score 68–82.

The three-lens summary

Lens 01

What families tell us

People describe the staff as particularly attentive and friendly. There's a sense that the team here takes time to connect with residents, creating an atmosphere where people feel noticed and cared for.

Lens 02

What inspectors have recorded

Lens 03

How it sits against good practice

If you're exploring care options in East Norwich, spending time at Harker House could help you get a feel for whether it's the right fit.

DCC Recommendation

Worth a visit

Harker House, on Flowerpot Lane in Norwich, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its last full inspection in February 2021. The home is registered with Norse Care (Services) Limited and specialises in dementia care and residential care for adults over 65. A review of available data carried out in July 2023 found no evidence that the Good rating needed to be reassessed at that point. The honest limitation here is that the published inspection text provides almost no specific detail about what daily life looks like for your parent. A Good rating tells you that inspectors found no significant failings, but it does not tell you whether staff are warm, whether food is appetising, or whether your parent would be engaged and stimulated. The inspection was also carried out in February 2021, during a period when visiting was restricted and normal life in care homes was significantly disrupted. Before making a decision, visit in person, ask to see the staffing rota for last week (not a template), and speak to the manager about dementia training, night staffing numbers, and how the home communicates with families day to day.

The three questions to ask when you visit

Save this home. Compare it against your shortlist.

Let our analysis show you how Harker House Residential Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.

Create free account →

In Their Own Words

How Harker House Residential Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.

What Harker House Residential Care Home says about itself

A small Norwich care home where staff genuinely care

Harker House – Your Trusted residential home

When you're looking for care in Norwich, finding somewhere that feels genuinely welcoming matters. Harker House in East Norwich specialises in dementia care and support for older adults. Families visiting here often comment on the friendly atmosphere and the way staff engage with residents throughout the day.

Care & specialisms

Who they care for

    The home provides specialist dementia care alongside general support for adults over 65.

    How they describe their dementia care

    While the home specialises in dementia care, families considering Harker House might want to ask about their specific approach to supporting residents with memory challenges during a visit.

    “If you're exploring care options in East Norwich, spending time at Harker House could help you get a feel for whether it's the right fit.”

    DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.

    Free download – Dementia Stage 4

    Not sure if it's dementia or just ageing? Here's the checklist your GP will use.

    Twelve signs to observe. A simple scoring framework. A printable, one-page record you can take to your next GP appointment, so you go in with specifics, not anxiety.

    Download Your Checklist

    No registration required to download. Free.

    Related:

    What Real Families Say About Dementia Care Homes: The Eight Things That Matter Most

    A Which? Report for Care Homes: Real Family Reviews, Not Just Official Inspections

    Step-by-Step Guide to Finding a Care Home for Your Mum in the UK

    What Does 'Dementia Specialist' Actually Mean? How to Tell If a Care Home Really Is One

    Best UK Website for Comparing Dementia Care Homes (Beyond CQC Ratings)

    Dementia care gifts that help

    The Thoughtful Gift That Makes a Difficult Day Easier

    The things that make the greatest difference to someone living with dementia are rarely the most obvious ones. They are the things that ease the day — that give a carer a moment to breathe, or give the person they care for a moment of calm or quiet joy. Every item here was chosen because it works, and because it reduces stress for everyone in the room.

    Comforting Memories

    Britain 1940 to 1970: Memory Lane

    Card Game

    The Card Game That Turns Familiar Phrases Into Open Doors

    Memory Box

    The Box That Holds a Life

    Digital Photoframe

    The Frame That Brings the Family Into the Room

    Digital Calendar

    The Clock That Knows What Day It Is

    FAQs Related to Care Homes increasing support care

    How often to visit a parent with dementia in a care home — and what makes a visit actually matter

    read this FAQ

    Care home fees and dementia — who pays, who doesn't, and what determines the difference

    read this FAQ

    Do you have to sell the house to pay for dementia care? The options most families don't know about

    read this FAQ

    The 7-year rule and care home fees — what it actually means and why it's misunderstood

    read this FAQ

    How much the NHS will pay for a care home — and what happens when the home costs more

    read this FAQ

    NHS Continuing Healthcare and dementia — who qualifies, how to apply, and what to do if refused

    read this FAQ

    When the NHS pays for dementia care — the two situations and how to access both

    read this FAQ

    What the NHS actually covers in dementia care — and the funding most eligible families never claim

    read this FAQ
    We use cookies in order to give you the best possible experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies.
    Accept