Passion is paramount at Whitby Drive
Each month we feature an award-winning finalist; inspirational individual or team who are really are The Best of the Best in social care. This month we feature the team from Whitby Drive, a care service supporting people with complex needs, and who’s passion for improving quality of life has remarkable results.
Located in Tyne & Wear, Whitby Drive is a care service that supports 5 people with complex needs. For this team, going above and beyond for the people they support is at the forefront of everything they do.
When a resident of Whitby Drive was recently admitted into hospital to begin end of life care, the team fought hard to ensure that the person they supported could spend his final days at the place he called home. Colleagues underwent extensive training and rallied round to ensure the best care could be delivered to John, aged 75, on his return.
Thanks to the world-class support delivered by this passionate and committed care team, when John did arrive home those around him witnessed an incredible transformation. So much so, that in 2019 John was removed from end of life care and transferred to a palliative treatment programme.
Tammy Wallace, Service Leader at Whitby Drive explains, “John has called Whitby Drive home for over 4 years, so him going to hospital had a huge effect on everyone at the service – we’re like one big family. We knew that by working together as a team we would be able to deliver the best possible support for him at the end of his life.”
“Of course, it was a big ask of the team as Whitby Drive doesn’t normally deliver nursing or clinical care. Our colleagues underwent thorough training and by working in partnership with the palliative care team, district nurses and other external partners we pulled together to ensure John was receiving the care that was right for him.”
“Once home, as a team we delivered person centred support in John’s everyday surroundings. The team used sensory lighting and photobooks to engage John in his room. By using staff matching tools, we ensured that John was supported by people who shared his interests and understood his preferences – this played a huge part in his transformation as they ensured that his needs were met at all times.”
“Within two weeks, the result of this support was phenomenal. John was back to eating and drinking, and we started to encourage positive risk-taking such as attending events in the community. You could see instantly how much socialising lifted John; it was absolutely incredible to see him back doing what he loved.”
Tammy continued, “John’s transformation really is nothing short of a miracle and other care professionals cannot believe his turnaround. As a team we couldn’t be prouder to witness how the support we’ve delivered has granted John a new lease of life. Of course, John still has good days and bad days, but you’ll still find him taking part in the activities he loves, mostly line-dancing and going to the pub for a pint!”
Recognising John’s incredible transformation, in 2019 the team at Whitby Drive were shortlisted for the ‘Dignity in Care Award’ at the Great North East Care Awards. John even attended the event after the nomination was submitted in his honour – an amazing feat for someone who was on end of life care just 4 months earlier.
Marc Brodie, North East Managing Director for Community Integrated Care commented, “At Community Integrated Care we strive to deliver world-class care for people with support needs. The team at Whitby Drive embody this – even in the toughest of circumstances. It’s inspiring to see how the service have pulled together to ensure the people they support live the best lives possible.”
Whitby Drive is part of one of the UK’s biggest and most successful social care charities, Community Integrated Care. In 2019, Community Integrated Care was crowned ‘Charity of the Year’ at the Charity Times Awards, noting how the charity was ‘disrupting the status quo’ in the sector.
