Dementia Care Home

Furze Hill House

73 Happisburgh Road, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9HD

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 Staff55 / 100

Staff warmth score

“Well Looked After”55%

of reviewers answered yes

Good to know

  • Registered beds40
  • SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
  • Last inspected2018-01-05

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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 talk about residents looking genuinely content here — not just cared for, but engaged in life. There's live music that gets people singing, regular outings that break up the routine, and a programme of activities that feels purposeful rather than token. The atmosphere families describe is one where their loved ones are participating, not just existing.

The eight family priority themes

  • Staff warmth55
  • Compassion & dignity55
  • Cleanliness55
  • Activities & engagement50
  • Food quality50
  • Healthcare50
  • Management & leadership60
  • Resident happiness55
Section 02

What inspectors found

Inspected 2018-01-05

  • Is this home safe?

    Good
    The Safe domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report does not include specific observations on staffing ratios, medicines management, falls prevention, or infection control practices. No concerns or requirements were raised in this domain. The home operates 40 beds and lists dementia as a specialism, which makes night staffing arrangements a particularly important question. Beyond the overall rating, the published findings provide no further detail.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the care effective?

    Good
    The Effective domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report includes no specific detail on care plan quality, review frequency, GP access, medicines administration, or dementia training provision. No requirements or recommendations were recorded in this domain. The home lists dementia as a specialism, which implies staff should hold relevant training, but no training records or examples are described in the published findings., The Effective domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report includes no specific detail on care plan quality, review frequency, GP access, medicines administration, or dementia training provision. No requirements or recommendations were recorded in this domain. The home lists dementia as a specialism, which implies staff should hold relevant training, but no training records or examples are described in the published findings.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is this home caring?

    Good
    The Caring domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report does not include any specific inspector observations, resident quotes, or relative feedback about the warmth or character of staff interactions. No concerns were raised in this domain. Without supporting detail, it is not possible to confirm from the published text whether specific practices such as using preferred names, knocking before entering rooms, or responding sensitively to distress were observed directly., The Caring domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report does not include any specific inspector observations, resident quotes, or relative feedback about the warmth or character of staff interactions. No concerns were raised in this domain. Without supporting detail, it is not possible to confirm from the published text whether specific practices such as using preferred names, knocking before entering rooms, or responding sensitively to distress were observed directly.
    Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded
  • Is the home responsive?

    Good
    The Responsive domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report includes no specific information about the activities programme, individual engagement for people who cannot join group sessions, or how the home responds to changing needs or complaints. No concerns or requirements were raised in this domain. The home's dementia specialism makes responsiveness to individual need particularly important, but the published findings give no examples to assess., The Responsive domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The published report includes no specific information about the activities programme, individual engagement for people who cannot join group sessions, or how the home responds to changing needs or complaints. No concerns or requirements were raised in this domain. The home's dementia specialism makes responsiveness to individual need particularly important, but the published findings give no examples to assess.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the home well-led?

    Good
    The Well-Led domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The report records a named leadership structure comprising two registered managers, two nominated individuals, and the operating organisation, The Salvation Army Social Work Trust. Beyond these names, the published findings include no specific detail about management visibility, staff culture, audit processes, or how the home responds to complaints and incidents. No concerns or requirements were raised in this domain., The Well-Led domain was rated Good at the January 2021 inspection. The report records a named leadership structure comprising two registered managers, two nominated individuals, and the operating organisation, The Salvation Army Social Work Trust. Beyond these names, the published findings include no specific detail about management visibility, staff culture, audit processes, or how the home responds to complaints and incidents. No concerns or requirements were raised in this domain.
    Verified by inspector
  • Source: CQC inspection report →

    Section 03

    What the evidence base says

    Furze Hill House provides specialist dementia care as well as general support for people over 65. The home combines both types of care under one roof, which can be reassuring for couples where one partner needs more specialised support. While the home lists dementia as a key specialism, families particularly value how staff respond to each person's changing needs throughout their dementia journey. The approach seems less about following a rigid programme and more about adapting to what works for each individual. 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

Furze Hill House was rated Good across all five domains at its last inspection in January 2021, which is a positive baseline. However, the published inspection text contains very little specific detail, so scores reflect the rating rather than direct observed evidence.

Homes in East typically score 68–82.

The three-lens summary

Lens 01

What families tell us

People talk about residents looking genuinely content here — not just cared for, but engaged in life. There's live music that gets people singing, regular outings that break up the routine, and a programme of activities that feels purposeful rather than token. The atmosphere families describe is one where their loved ones are participating, not just existing.

Lens 02

What inspectors have recorded

What comes through repeatedly is how staff tune into what each person needs. Families describe carers who notice the small things — when someone needs reassurance, when they're ready to join in, when they need space. This kind of attentive, individualised approach seems to be the norm rather than the exception.

Lens 03

How it sits against good practice

Sometimes the best measure of a care home is simply whether the people living there seem content — and at Furze Hill House, that appears to be the case.

DCC Recommendation

Worth a visit

Furze Hill House, on Happisburgh Road in North Walsham, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent inspection in January 2021. The home is run by The Salvation Army Social Work Trust and has a named leadership structure in place. A Good rating across every domain is a positive sign, and it is worth noting the home specialises in dementia care for adults over 65. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection report contains very little specific detail beyond the ratings themselves. There are no recorded staff observations, resident or family quotes, or descriptions of day-to-day practice. This means the Good rating is encouraging but cannot be verified against the kind of specific evidence that would give you real confidence. The inspection was also conducted in January 2021, more than three years ago at the time of writing, so practice may have changed. When you visit, ask to see the most recent internal quality audit, speak to a senior member of staff about what a typical day looks like for someone with dementia, and ask the manager directly about staffing levels and night cover.

The three questions to ask when you visit

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In Their Own Words

How Furze Hill House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.

What Furze Hill House says about itself

Where individual care meets genuine comfort in Norfolk

Dedicated residential home Support in North Walsham

Finding the right place for someone with dementia can feel overwhelming, but families visiting Furze Hill House in North Walsham often describe a palpable sense of relief. The care home sits in the heart of this East Norfolk market town, offering specialised dementia support alongside general care for over-65s. What strikes many visitors is how the team seems to really see each resident as an individual.

Care & specialisms

Who they care for

    Furze Hill House provides specialist dementia care as well as general support for people over 65. The home combines both types of care under one roof, which can be reassuring for couples where one partner needs more specialised support.

    How they describe their dementia care

    While the home lists dementia as a key specialism, families particularly value how staff respond to each person's changing needs throughout their dementia journey. The approach seems less about following a rigid programme and more about adapting to what works for each individual.

    “Sometimes the best measure of a care home is simply whether the people living there seem content — and at Furze Hill House, that appears to be the case.”

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

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    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)

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