Gateshead Hatzola Ambulance Station Also known as Gateshead Hatzola

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

This means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good.

This meant the service was now consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

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 have a shared vision, strategy and culture that is based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding and meeting the needs of people and our communities.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The service had developed a mission, strategy and implementation plan to ‘...advance health and save lives by providing for the public benefit in Gateshead and the surrounding area...a volunteer emergency medical first response and ambulance service’. The mission also identified that the service would provide relief and assistance for persons who are sick or ill, and also provide information, education and training to promote health.

This had been discussed with staff and they were able to demonstrate they had contributed to its development, were aware of its contents and objectives, and that they understood how this contributed to the delivery of a high quality service.

The strategy designed to implement the mission concentrated on operation of the service and regulation, investment, quality of care provided, digital transformation, people management and governance.

We have inclusive leaders at all levels who understand the context in which we deliver care, treatment and support and embody the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. They have the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively and do so with integrity, openness and honesty.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

We met with the registered manager during our assessment at the service, they had been in this role since the service was first registered. They clearly explained how the service operated, teams were managed, and how outcomes were measured.

The registered manager had the skills, knowledge and experience to undertake the role and had a good understanding of the service. We were told by responders the registered manager was visible and approachable for patients and staff, this was confirmed through responses to staff surveys. Development opportunities were available for all staff.

We create a positive culture where people feel that they can speak up and that their voice will be heard.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Patients and carers were encouraged to give feedback on the service through direct contact with the service and through feedback forms and comments recorded on the patient record form. We saw that feedback was used to make improvements to the service.

The registered manager and trustees were accessible to staff, patients and their carers for them to give feedback. Surveys had been undertaken giving staff the opportunity to comment on a variety of issue such as the regularity of feedback on performance, clinical training, ability to report errors and near misses, further training needs and being enabled to make suggestions to improve the work of the organisation.

Responses were overwhelmingly positive and enabled staff to raise any issues in a constructive way.

We value diversity in our workforce. We work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for us.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them.

The service primarily provided emergency response and patient transport to the local Jewish community in a geographical area of Gateshead, and reflected this within their workforce. As volunteers, staff were able to work flexibly to account for personal circumstances such as caring and health issues. Reasonable adjustments were put in place for staff members to help them carry out their role.

While the service provided help, assistance and transport to all members of the local community, the workforce reflected the primary catchment of the service, and was representative of the patient group.

We have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. We act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and we share this securely with others when appropriate.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate.

The service was managed by a nominated individual and a registered manager, and overseen by trustees who met quarterly. The standing agenda items were task review, clinical overview, fundraising, finance, premises, and the risk register. The service was in the process of setting up regular and detailed meetings between the registered manager and the trustees.

There was a clear framework for team meetings to ensure essential information, such as learning from incidents and complaints, was shared and discussed. Staff understood the arrangements for working with other teams to meet the needs of patients.

Staff had access to the equipment and information technology needed to do their work, and the service had developed a bespoke application for responders to use which enabled the completion of the patient record form electronically and confidentially.

The registered manager had access to information to support them with their role. This included information on the performance of the service (call types, severity, number of transports, safeguarding, response times, operator performance and patient feedback), staffing and patient care.

We understand our duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so our services work seamlessly for people. We share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.

The service had developed relationships with the local NHS ambulance trust, and also with NHS acute trusts in the local catchment area.

There were many positive comments from NHS trust staff complimenting responders' expertise, experience and the assistance they had given.

There was also feedback from individuals, including non-Jewish community members, who had received care and assistance from the service.

We focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across our organisation and the local system. We encourage creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. We actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.

Trustees had met two days before our assessment and discussed, for example, radio equipment upgrade, responders giving assistance to the local NHS hospital during holidays, involvement in the ‘GoodSAM’ initiative (technology enabling a response from emergency, volunteering and support services while awaiting an ambulance arrival). As part of the meeting, trustees met with responders for them to raise any issues.

The service was committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and fair working culture. To support this the service applied for a mental health and wellbeing grant, which has been used to facilitate support for the mental health and wellbeing of responders in a more structured and meaningful way. This involved targeted mental health training and wellbeing sessions, as well as setting up a dedicated base where responders can rest, recharge, and reflect after shifts. Support resources and wellbeing initiatives have been established to show staff are valued equally, and new recruits are trained in mental health crisis response.

This project has helped the service take proactive steps towards building a culture of fairness and equity, where all staff feel supported, respected, and empowered in their roles.

The service had recently undertaken a successful test of their major incident plan, in conjunction with the local NHS ambulance trust. Following this, the service purchased a ‘ten second triage’ kit for use in major emergencies.