Gateshead Hatzola Ambulance Station Also known as Gateshead Hatzola

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We looked for evidence that people were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked that people’s privacy and dignity was respected, that they understood that they and their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take people’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This means that people were treated with kindness, compassion, dignity and respect.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

There were two calls during our assessment, and we observed staff treating the patients and their family members with dignity, respect and kindness. Staff explained everything they did and provided clear information and advice, supporting people to make decisions about their care.

We looked at service user feedback, which was positive. People commented on how caring, calm and professional the staff were. We heard about situations where the ambulance was used to remove a casualty from public view to preserve their dignity and privacy while waiting for further assistance.

Staff were sensitive to the community nature of their service, which meant that most service users were personally known to staff, and they took confidentiality very seriously.

We observed a handover of a patient at the local hospital, and staff at the hospital commented on the polite, friendly nature of the Hatzola personnel and stated that their handovers were always professional and thorough.

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences, taking account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The community served was largely Jewish, and all staff were also Jewish so staff were knowledgeable about the cultural needs of the community they served. All service users transported to hospital were provided with a leaflet, which stated how to find Shabbos rooms where Kosher food was stored in each of the local hospitals, and how to access the patient advocacy services provided by the Jewish chaplains. We saw leaflets on the ambulance informing service users how to make complaints, and we heard how every service user was sent a feedback form and encouraged to give anonymous feedback on their experience.

Staff did not have access to a formal translation or interpreting service, but they showed us a book, stored in the ambulance, which provided translations of key phrases into multiple common languages. They also had access to electronic translation apps on their phones if required.

We saw a booklet, which the service produced to help other local medical emergency services to understand the customs of the Jewish community, giving practical advice on how the cultural needs of people from this community could be met.

We heard how service staff had taken their ambulance to schools for children with special needs, so that the children could get used to the vehicle and not be intimidated by it in case they ever need to use the service.

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment. and wellbeing.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

We observed staff seeking consent from service users and explaining options so that they could make informed decisions. We also saw a patient record sheet, which documented how staff took an individual’s personal circumstances into account and transported her to the hospital of her choice.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We spoke to a service user, who told us that she had used the service on a number of occasions. She told us about an incident where the call handler dispatched a responder, but told her to phone 999 straight away, and another incident where a responder had contacted the local NHS ambulance service to seek advice, which demonstrates the ability to respond to risk.

We saw service user feedback which commented on the ability of the staff to ease concerns.

We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

As an organisation, the service was concerned about the wellbeing of its staff and volunteers. They told us about mechanisms they have in place to ensure staff safety and well-being. These included:

• at least two responders were always dispatched to each call;
• de-briefing sessions were held immediately following any traumatic calls. An example was provided where volunteers had transported a very unwell young girl to hospital, who later died, and debriefing sessions were held before volunteers left the hospital site;
• a mental-health lead, who is a mental health chaplain at a local NHS Trust, could be called upon to provide staff with mental health support;
• the service was awarded a grant to look after the mental health of the volunteers and the community. As a result, a portacabin was available to use as a space for volunteers to come together to support each other, and a trauma therapist was available when needed; and
• the Hatzola app had a partner support button, so if a volunteer was delayed on a call, a message was sent to the volunteer’s family to let them know.

There was no formal annual appraisal process in place, but staff received regular feedback on their performance throughout the year through on-going audits. We spoke to two volunteer responders, and both stated that they felt very well supported and valued and were proud of the service they provided to the community.