Health inspectors have praised North Tyneside Council’s children’s public health service.
Following an inspection just 11 months after taking responsibility for the service, which includes health visitors and school nurses, the local authority has been highly praised by health officials.
The council has recently received a glowing report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following a visit in March.
Inspectors highlighted how staff protect children and young people from avoidable harm and abuse, and make sure they follow procedures to keep them safe.
They also commended the service for creating a ‘strong, visible and person-centred culture’, delivering ‘compassionate and sensitive care’.
And staff also won praise for being ‘highly motivated and inspired to offer the best possible care to children, young people, and families’ while leaders are described as ‘dynamic’ and ‘proactive’.
Welcoming the report, Norma Redfearn, CBE, said: “I am thrilled with the outcome of the inspection.
“Inspections like this, as well as our fantastic Ofsted reports for council services in recent months, give residents the confidence that we are providing the best possible services.
“When we took responsibility for the service in April last year, our priority was to put children’s health at the heart of the organisation and ensure every child and young person in North Tyneside gets the best start and lead healthy and happy lives.
“I am delighted that this hard work has been recognised by the CQC and the report provides much-deserved praise for the team.
“For me, one of the most encouraging aspects of the report was the wonderful feedback families gave to inspectors.”
Families spoke positively about all aspects of the service to the inspectors and the response from surveys indicated that 99 per cent of those asked would recommend it to others and 100 per cent said they felt practitioners listened to them.
Cllr Margaret Hall, cabinet member for Public Health and Wellbeing, added: “The inspection gave us the opportunity to showcase our excellent work, and the outcome is testament to our fantastic teams, we are delighted with the result.”
Health visitors and school nurses are public health specialists who provide support and advice for children, young people and families within their local communities.
They offer a range of help to promote the health and wellbeing of the whole family, from supporting parents in the antenatal period and early years with continued support when children and young people go to school, to assisting with wider issues such as emotional health and well-being.
To find out more about the service, click here: Children's Public Health.
A link to the report can be found here: CQC report.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The service transferred to the council in April 2017. It was previously commissioned externally from the NHS.