North Shields care home gains national watchdog’s seal of approval

Home news

May 01, 2014

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors have announced that Care UK’s Collingwood Court, in North Shields, is fully compliant with the Government’s stringent safeguards designed to protect residents and promote excellent care.

Following unannounced visits to the home in Front Street, Chirtson, inspectors have reported that the home meets all the Government’s five standards of quality and safety which are:

• Treating people with respect and involving them in their care
• Providing care, treatment & support that meets people's needs
• Caring for people safely & protecting them from harm
• Staffing
• Management

CQC carries out unannounced inspections of all care homes, acute hospitals and domiciliary care services in England at least once a year to judge whether or not the essential standards are being met.

During an inspection in September, inspectors spoke to eight residents and three relatives about care in the home. They reported: "It's very comfortable. Staff are very kind and helpful," while another said: “The staff, they're very good with me," and another said: "They look after me well here."

People who spoke to the inspectors said that staff explained their care and treatment to them. They said that staff respected their decisions. They spoke with visitors who were visiting a relative who lived at the service. They told them: "They involve us in important decisions."

The inspectors reported that people and relatives were complimentary about the care and comments from people including: "If I need the staff, I can send for them"; and "If I wanted help, I could get it." A relative told inspectors: "Mum is looking a lot better; she's eating now and if she needs anything, the staff are very willing." Other visitors told inspectors they were happy with the care provided to their relative and their health was monitored well by the staff. They also said they were always kept informed about their relative's well-being.

Inspectors, who also visited in March, saw that when people received any care they were asked for their consent and their wishes and decisions were respected. One resident told the inspectors: "It's very good here. It’s way above. The staff are brilliant; they bother about people. They ask what you want to do."

Manager Maggie Harrison said: “The team are wonderful and empathetic. They try their best, every day, to be as supportive to residents and their relatives as they can be, and I think that shows in the lovely comments reported back by the inspectors.

“I am very proud of the team and their hard work. They are currently working on a packed schedule of activities as we move towards the warmer weather. We arrange lots of fun outings to places like the local bowling green, restaurants, the theatre and the nearby town centre for shopping and we also take very popular trips to the seaside, the quayside in Newcastle and museums like Tynemouth Toy Museum.”