Normanhurst
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Nursing homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds31
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2021-10-21
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STAGE 4 — RESEARCHING CARE HOMES
Visit homes. Compare them side by side. Choose with confidence.
Most of us will view care homes the way we view houses, impression, atmosphere, the feeling in the corridor. We go home, try to remember what we saw, and make a permanent decision from a blurred memory.
The DCC shortlist gives every home you visit a structured record: the same twelve questions, answered the same way, every time. When you’re ready to choose, pull any two homes side by side and compare them directly. Same criteria, same evidence, your notes and your scores.
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
What strikes families most is how staff tune into what each resident actually wants from their day. Rather than following rigid schedules, the team here notices whether someone prefers quiet mornings or bustling activity rooms, solitary reading or group conversations. This attention to individual rhythms helps residents feel genuinely at home.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth70
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement60
- Food quality55
- Healthcare68
- Management & leadership52
- Resident happiness68
What inspectors found
Inspected 2021-10-21
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The Effective domain was rated Good at the September 2021 inspection. This covers care planning, training, healthcare access, and nutrition. The published summary does not record specific examples of care plan content, GP access frequency, or dementia training provision. A Good rating in this domain indicates inspectors found the home met required standards across these areas at the time of the visit. The home's dementia specialism means there is a reasonable expectation of relevant staff training, but this is not confirmed in the published text.Is this home caring?
The Caring domain was rated Good at the September 2021 inspection. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and whether people's independence is supported. The published summary does not include specific inspector observations about staff interactions, use of preferred names, or how distress was managed. A Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with the standard of caring interactions they observed. No concerns about dignity or respect are noted in the published text.Is the home responsive?
The Responsive domain was rated Good at the September 2021 inspection. This domain covers activities, individual engagement, and how well the home responds to each person's preferences and changing needs. The published summary does not include specific detail about the activity programme, one-to-one provision, or how individual preferences are recorded and acted on. No concerns about responsiveness are noted in the published text. The home's dementia specialism suggests an expectation of tailored approaches, but this is not confirmed with specific examples.Is the home well-led?
The Well-led domain was rated Requires Improvement at the September 2021 inspection, meaning this was the one area where the home did not meet Good standards. The home is run by named owners, Mr David Lewis and Mrs Rohan Hebbes, with Sister Alison Bowles-Martin as registered manager. The published summary does not record the specific governance or leadership shortcomings that led to the Requires Improvement rating. The overall trajectory is positive, with the home improving from Requires Improvement overall to Good overall at this inspection, but leadership remains an open question.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home specialises in dementia care alongside general nursing for over-65s. Their approach focuses on maintaining and even improving residents' abilities through individualised care. For those living with dementia, the team's ability to read individual preferences and adapt routines accordingly becomes especially valuable. Staff work to keep residents engaged at whatever level feels comfortable for them, celebrating small victories in communication and participation. 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.
DCC Family Score
Normanhurst Nursing Home scores 72 out of 100, reflecting a genuine improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating, with good evidence of kind care and a safe environment, held back by limited inspection detail in several areas and an ongoing Requires Improvement rating for leadership.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
What strikes families most is how staff tune into what each resident actually wants from their day. Rather than following rigid schedules, the team here notices whether someone prefers quiet mornings or bustling activity rooms, solitary reading or group conversations. This attention to individual rhythms helps residents feel genuinely at home.
What inspectors have recorded
Families describe feeling genuinely reassured by how staff communicate about their loved ones' daily experiences and responses. The team shows real skill in observing and reporting back on small but meaningful moments. Though there have been some hiccups with visit scheduling that need addressing, the overall approach to family involvement feels thoughtful and inclusive.
How it sits against good practice
Sometimes the right care home is the one where decline isn't seen as inevitable — where there's still room for progress, however modest.
Worth a visit
Normanhurst Nursing Home on Brassey Road in Bexhill-on-Sea was rated Good at its inspection in September 2021, an improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. Four of five domains, covering safety, effectiveness, caring, and responsiveness, were found to meet Good standards. The home is a 31-bed nursing home registered to care for adults over 65, including people living with dementia, and is run by named owners with a registered manager in post. The main area of concern is the Well-led domain, which remains at Requires Improvement. This means inspectors identified shortcomings in governance, oversight, or leadership at the time of the visit. The published inspection summary contains limited specific detail across all domains, so there is a great deal that this report cannot confirm. On a visit, ask to speak with Sister Alison Bowles-Martin, the registered manager, and ask specifically what has changed since the previous inspection and what steps are under way to address the leadership concerns. Ask to see the staffing rota for the past week, the activity timetable, and, if possible, visit at a mealtime.
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In Their Own Words
How Normanhurst describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where residents rediscover their independence by the sea
Compassionate Care in Bexhill On Sea at Normanhurst Nursing Home
Families watching loved ones decline often find renewed hope at Normanhurst Nursing Home in Bexhill On Sea. This established nursing home has built a reputation for helping residents regain abilities they thought were lost — whether that's walking again, engaging in conversations, or simply enjoying mealtimes. The seaside setting adds its own gentle therapy to the care provided here.
Who they care for
The home specialises in dementia care alongside general nursing for over-65s. Their approach focuses on maintaining and even improving residents' abilities through individualised care.
For those living with dementia, the team's ability to read individual preferences and adapt routines accordingly becomes especially valuable. Staff work to keep residents engaged at whatever level feels comfortable for them, celebrating small victories in communication and participation.
“Sometimes the right care home is the one where decline isn't seen as inevitable — where there's still room for progress, however modest.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
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.
DCC Family Score
Normanhurst Nursing Home scores 72 out of 100, reflecting a genuine improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating, with good evidence of kind care and a safe environment, held back by limited inspection detail in several areas and an ongoing Requires Improvement rating for leadership.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
What strikes families most is how staff tune into what each resident actually wants from their day. Rather than following rigid schedules, the team here notices whether someone prefers quiet mornings or bustling activity rooms, solitary reading or group conversations. This attention to individual rhythms helps residents feel genuinely at home.
What inspectors have recorded
Families describe feeling genuinely reassured by how staff communicate about their loved ones' daily experiences and responses. The team shows real skill in observing and reporting back on small but meaningful moments. Though there have been some hiccups with visit scheduling that need addressing, the overall approach to family involvement feels thoughtful and inclusive.
How it sits against good practice
Sometimes the right care home is the one where decline isn't seen as inevitable — where there's still room for progress, however modest.
Worth a visit
Normanhurst Nursing Home on Brassey Road in Bexhill-on-Sea was rated Good at its inspection in September 2021, an improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. Four of five domains, covering safety, effectiveness, caring, and responsiveness, were found to meet Good standards. The home is a 31-bed nursing home registered to care for adults over 65, including people living with dementia, and is run by named owners with a registered manager in post. The main area of concern is the Well-led domain, which remains at Requires Improvement. This means inspectors identified shortcomings in governance, oversight, or leadership at the time of the visit. The published inspection summary contains limited specific detail across all domains, so there is a great deal that this report cannot confirm. On a visit, ask to speak with Sister Alison Bowles-Martin, the registered manager, and ask specifically what has changed since the previous inspection and what steps are under way to address the leadership concerns. Ask to see the staffing rota for the past week, the activity timetable, and, if possible, visit at a mealtime.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Normanhurst measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Normanhurst describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where residents rediscover their independence by the sea
Compassionate Care in Bexhill On Sea at Normanhurst Nursing Home
Families watching loved ones decline often find renewed hope at Normanhurst Nursing Home in Bexhill On Sea. This established nursing home has built a reputation for helping residents regain abilities they thought were lost — whether that's walking again, engaging in conversations, or simply enjoying mealtimes. The seaside setting adds its own gentle therapy to the care provided here.
Who they care for
The home specialises in dementia care alongside general nursing for over-65s. Their approach focuses on maintaining and even improving residents' abilities through individualised care.
For those living with dementia, the team's ability to read individual preferences and adapt routines accordingly becomes especially valuable. Staff work to keep residents engaged at whatever level feels comfortable for them, celebrating small victories in communication and participation.
Management & ethos
Families describe feeling genuinely reassured by how staff communicate about their loved ones' daily experiences and responses. The team shows real skill in observing and reporting back on small but meaningful moments. Though there have been some hiccups with visit scheduling that need addressing, the overall approach to family involvement feels thoughtful and inclusive.
The home & environment
The dining experience stands out as more than just mealtimes — it becomes part of the social fabric of the day, with good food and genuine choice on offer. While the building shows its age in places and could benefit from some refreshing, those sea views remain a real asset that residents clearly appreciate.
“Sometimes the right care home is the one where decline isn't seen as inevitable — where there's still room for progress, however modest.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
