Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre

Falla Park Road, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 9HP

01914336620

Care Type

Residential Care

Assessment date

5 May 2026

Provider

Gateshead Council

Beds

40 beds

About Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre

Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre, in Gateshead, provides accommodation and short-term rehabilitation for up to 60 people with a range of needs. The CQC rated the service good overall, an improvement from the previous requires improvement rating, and found the provider was no longer in breach of regulations relating to good governance.

Inspectors found medicines were managed safely, staffing levels were sufficient, and care plans were more focused on people's rehabilitation goals. Staff feedback showed improved communication and teamwork, and people and relatives spoke positively, describing kind, responsive care and good progress towards going home. The service did not yet have a registered manager, though the provider was working to appoint one.

Source: CQC assessment, 22 June 2026

Specialist Care

DementiaMental healthOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesSensory impairmentsYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 40 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · NE10 9HP

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia; Eating disorders; Mental health conditions; Physical disabilities; Sensory impairment.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Assessment published 22 June 2026. Assessment date recorded: 5 May 2026.

Read CQC's assessment overview

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 22 June 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of assessment 8 June 2026. Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre provides accommodation with personal care for up to 60 people. The service provided short-term rehabilitation to people with a diverse range of needs. When we inspected 16 people were living there. At the last inspection in November 2025, the service was rated requires improvement. At this inspection, we found improvements had been made and rated the service good. The provider was no longer in breach of regulations relating to good governance.
Most staff feedback was positive and confirmed further improvements with communication and support since the last inspection.
The service did not have a registered manager. The provider was acting to appoint a suitable person to this role. Management analysed incidents, accidents, complaints and allegations of abuse to identify trends and learning.
Care plans and risk assessments had been reviewed and were now more focused around people’s rehabilitation goals. The provider was working with partners to develop these further to ensure people achieved their goals. This was due to limitations with data sharing; the provider was working jointly with healthcare partners to address this.
Medicines were managed safely. There were enough trained staff to meet people’s needs. Staff told us support, teamwork and communication had got better. Improved recording was in place for 'as required' medicines and medicines care plans were more personalised.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Good

Read Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Sister Winifred Laver Promoting Independence Centre's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees