Surbitonian Gardens Care Home
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 beds80
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
- Last inspected2023-11-10
- Activities programmeThe home maintains high standards of cleanliness throughout its modern facilities. Dining areas and activity spaces have been designed with resident engagement in mind. The building includes therapeutic spaces and accessible rooms that support residents with varying physical needs.
- Visit Website
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Visitors often comment on the warm reception they receive when arriving at the home. The modern environment feels bright and welcoming, with thoughtfully designed spaces that help residents feel comfortable. Many families appreciate how the building's contemporary design supports accessibility and independence.
Based on 34 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness72
- Activities & engagement68
- Food quality68
- Healthcare72
- Management & leadership74
- Resident happiness70
What inspectors found
Inspected 2023-11-10 · Report published 2023-11-10 · Inspected 1 times in the last three years
Is this home safe?
{"found":"The home was rated Good for safety at its December 2025 inspection. The home provides nursing care on site, which means qualified nurses are available around the clock, an important factor for anyone with complex or changing health needs. Beyond the overall rating, the published report does not set out specific findings on staffing numbers, falls management, medicines, infection control, or agency use. The registration covers 80 beds across a mixed specialism group, which makes staffing ratios particularly important to explore directly.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good safety rating is reassuring, but our Good Practice evidence base (IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University, 2026) consistently identifies night staffing as the point where safety most often slips in care homes, particularly on dementia units. The inspection does not tell you how many staff are on duty after 8pm for 80 residents, and that is the single most important number to ask for. Our family review data also shows that families who later raise concerns about safety most commonly describe not knowing who was responsible for their parent overnight. Ask that question before you commit.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice rapid evidence review found that agency staff unfamiliar with individual residents are a consistent risk factor in adverse incidents in dementia care. Homes with low agency use and stable permanent teams have significantly better safety outcomes.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota from last week, not the template. Count how many permanent staff and how many agency staff worked overnight, and ask what induction agency staff receive before working on the dementia unit."}
Is the care effective?
{"found":"The home was rated Good for effectiveness at its December 2025 inspection. The home is registered to provide nursing care and lists dementia as a core specialism, which implies an expectation of relevant staff training and care planning. The published report does not describe the content of care plans, the frequency of GP or specialist visits, how dementia training is delivered, or how food quality and dietary needs are managed. These are all areas the inspection assessed as Good but for which specific evidence is not available in the published text.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Food quality appears in 20.9% of positive family reviews in our data, which makes it the most underestimated indicator of genuine care. When a home gets food right, including texture-modified meals for people with swallowing difficulties, meals at the right temperature, and genuine choice, it usually signals that staff know who each person is as an individual. The inspection does not describe any of this, so a mealtime visit is essential. Our Good Practice evidence also shows that care plans updated at least monthly, and shared with families, are a strong predictor of whether your parent's changing needs will be caught early.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that dementia-specific training covering communication, distress recognition, and person-centred approaches significantly reduces the use of antipsychotic medication and increases resident wellbeing scores.","watch_out":"Ask the manager what dementia-specific training every member of staff completes, including night staff and agency workers, and when it was last updated. Then ask to look at the care plan format used at the home and check whether it records your parent's life history, daily routines, and personal preferences, not just their medical needs."}
Is this home caring?
{"found":"The home was rated Good for caring at its December 2025 inspection. Staff warmth and dignity are among the most commonly cited reasons families choose a care home, and a Good rating in this domain is a positive signal. However, the published report contains no direct observations of staff interactions, no quotes from residents or relatives about how they felt cared for, and no specific examples of dignity practice such as knocking before entering rooms or using preferred names. The Good rating is meaningful, but it cannot substitute for what you will see and feel on a visit.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of positive family reviews in our data, mentioned by name in 57.3% of all positive responses, and compassion and dignity account for 55.2%. These are not abstract values. They show up in specific observable moments: whether a staff member crouches to eye level when speaking to your parent, whether they use the name your parent prefers, and whether they seem unhurried. Our Good Practice evidence confirms that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal communication for people living with dementia. You cannot judge this from an inspection report alone. You need to spend time in the building.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice review found that person-led care, meaning care shaped around who the individual is and was, requires staff to know each resident's personal history and preferences in detail. Homes where this knowledge is embedded in daily practice show measurably higher resident wellbeing.","watch_out":"On your visit, watch what happens when a staff member passes your parent or another resident in a corridor. Do they stop, make eye contact, and say something personal? Or do they walk past? That moment, repeated dozens of times a day, is the true measure of a caring culture."}
Is the home responsive?
{"found":"The home was rated Good for responsiveness at its December 2025 inspection. The home is registered to care for people with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments, which implies that activities and daily life should be adapted to a range of needs and abilities. The published report does not describe what activities are offered, whether one-to-one engagement is available for people who cannot join groups, how the home responds to individual preferences, or what end-of-life care planning looks like. Families will need to ask directly about all of these.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Activities account for 21.4% of positive family reviews in our data, and resident happiness for 27.1%. But our Good Practice evidence is clear that group activities alone are not enough, particularly for people in the more advanced stages of dementia who may not be able to participate. The homes that perform best in this area offer meaningful one-to-one engagement built around a person's life history: familiar tasks, music they recognise, and simple sensory activities. Ask the home specifically what would happen if your parent stopped being able to join group sessions. The answer will tell you a great deal.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice review found that Montessori-based approaches and familiar everyday tasks, such as folding, sorting, or simple cooking activities, produce higher engagement and lower agitation in people with moderate to advanced dementia compared with organised group entertainment.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activity records for last month, not the planned schedule but the actual record of what took place. Check whether any activities were recorded as one-to-one sessions and who delivered them. If the records show only group sessions, ask what support your parent would receive on a day they could not participate."}
Is the home well-led?
{"found":"The home was rated Good for well-led at its December 2025 inspection. Nicola Ann Hazell is the registered manager and Mrs Joanne Fisher is the nominated individual. The home is operated by Anavo Care (Surbiton) Limited. A Good rating in this domain indicates that inspectors were satisfied with governance, culture, and accountability at the time of the assessment. The published report does not describe the manager's day-to-day visibility, how staff are supported to raise concerns, or how the home responds to complaints and incidents.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Management quality accounts for 23.4% of positive family reviews in our data, and our Good Practice evidence identifies leadership stability as one of the strongest predictors of sustained quality. A home where the manager is known by name to residents and families, and where staff feel confident to speak up, tends to maintain its rating over time. The inspection confirms a registered manager is in post, which is the minimum requirement, but it does not tell you how long she has been there or how visible she is day to day. Manager tenure is worth asking about directly, particularly if this is the home's first inspection cycle.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice review found that staff empowerment, specifically the ability of frontline carers to raise concerns without fear and to contribute to care decisions, is a stronger predictor of quality culture than formal governance systems alone.","watch_out":"When you visit, ask to meet the registered manager, Nicola Ann Hazell, in person. Ask how long she has been in post and what she considers the home's biggest challenge right now. A manager who gives a specific, honest answer is a much stronger signal of good leadership than one who offers only reassurances."}
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The home provides specialist care for adults under and over 65 with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. They also offer dementia care within their modern, accessible environment.. Gaps or open questions remain on The home's dementia care takes place within purpose-built facilities designed for safety and comfort. Families considering dementia care should discuss staffing arrangements and supervision levels, particularly for residents who need consistent support throughout the day. — 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
Surbitonian Gardens at Poppy Court was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent assessment in December 2025. The score reflects a solid baseline of positive findings, but the published report contains limited specific detail, observations, and direct testimony, so families should use the checklist questions below to fill the gaps.
Homes in London typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors often comment on the warm reception they receive when arriving at the home. The modern environment feels bright and welcoming, with thoughtfully designed spaces that help residents feel comfortable. Many families appreciate how the building's contemporary design supports accessibility and independence.
What inspectors have recorded
Healthcare professionals who visit the home have noted staff competence in areas like manual handling and professional care standards. However, some families with regular contact have raised concerns about staffing consistency and management responsiveness, particularly around evening and weekend coverage.
How it sits against good practice
When considering Surbitonian Gardens, it's worth visiting at different times to get a complete picture of daily life there.
Worth a visit
Surbitonian Gardens at Poppy Court was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent assessment on 1 December 2025, with the report published on 23 March 2026. The home is an 80-bed nursing home registered for dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment, run by Anavo Care (Surbiton) Limited, with a named registered manager in post. A Good rating across all domains is a genuinely positive baseline and places this home among those meeting the standard the regulator expects. However, the published inspection text available at the time of this report contains very limited specific detail: no direct observations of staff interactions, no quotes from residents or relatives, and no description of staffing numbers, food, activities, or the physical environment. This means families cannot yet use the inspection report alone to judge whether this home is the right fit. Before making a decision, visit the home at a mealtime if possible, ask the manager to walk you through the dementia unit, and use the checklist questions above to gather the detail the inspection has not yet provided.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
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In Their Own Words
How Surbitonian Gardens Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Modern Surbiton care home with thoughtful design for complex needs
Surbitonian Gardens at Poppy Court – Expert Care in Surbiton
Finding the right care home in Surbiton can feel overwhelming, especially when your loved one needs specialist support. Surbitonian Gardens at Poppy Court offers purpose-built facilities designed for residents with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. The contemporary building provides accessible spaces and therapeutic environments that many families find reassuring during those difficult first visits.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist care for adults under and over 65 with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. They also offer dementia care within their modern, accessible environment.
The home's dementia care takes place within purpose-built facilities designed for safety and comfort. Families considering dementia care should discuss staffing arrangements and supervision levels, particularly for residents who need consistent support throughout the day.
Management & ethos
Healthcare professionals who visit the home have noted staff competence in areas like manual handling and professional care standards. However, some families with regular contact have raised concerns about staffing consistency and management responsiveness, particularly around evening and weekend coverage.
The home & environment
The home maintains high standards of cleanliness throughout its modern facilities. Dining areas and activity spaces have been designed with resident engagement in mind. The building includes therapeutic spaces and accessible rooms that support residents with varying physical needs.
“When considering Surbitonian Gardens, it's worth visiting at different times to get a complete picture of daily life there.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
