Working at South Chowdene
Chowdene Bank, Gateshead, NE9 6JE
Operated by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
42 bedsNursing homes
Workplace Score
4.2/10
AI analysis of latest data
Our AI workplace review
PlainSight AI Review
Last updated: 10 February 2026
Score: 4.2/10
Key Finding
"Good training and improving staff morale with better teamwork, but low staffing and no activities coordinator limit support."
Safety & Risk
4/10
!
Staff had not always made sure that medicines... were safe... Concerns with medication administration records (MAR) were noted including gaps in MAR charts, unclear codes, and discrepancies in stock counts.
Staff Culture
5/10
!
Staff spoke positively about the new management team and the encouragement they received. They described feeling more involved... While staff highlighted the pressures... most said teamwork and morale had improved significantly.
Staffing Levels
3/10
✕
The provider did not always make sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Feedback consistently outlined concerns about low staffing levels, which led to people being unobserved in communal areas... One staff member said, “There are not enough staff and time to complete our roles.”
Training & Dev
6/10
✓
Staff had received mandatory and condition-specific training, and professionals confirmed improvements in care delivery... Training was provided, and plans were in place to increase face-to-face learning to better meet staff needs.
Management
4/10
!
Since the last inspection in 2021 there have been 6 registered managers, with 4 in the last year, and other peripatetic managers covering at times. People told us this had led to inconsistent support from the senior management... and staff morale being low.
Programmes
2/10
✕
People found the absence of an activity coordinator limited opportunities for meaningful engagement... One relative said, “The home desperately needs an activities coordinator; sitting in front of a TV doesn’t benefit my mother.”
Points to consider
Not enough staff at times, leaving residents unsupervised in communal areas and making staff feel rushed.
Feedback consistently outlined concerns about low staffing levels, which led to people being unobserved in communal areas, pressure on staff and the lack of time to provide all the care needed. One staff member said, “There are not enough staff and time to complete our roles.”
No activities coordinator yet, so days are mostly TV and routine tasks with little variety.
People found the absence of an activity coordinator limited opportunities for meaningful engagement, which they felt impacted their quality of life. One relative said, “The home desperately needs an activities coordinator; sitting in front of a TV doesn’t benefit my mother.”
Lots of manager changes recently caused inconsistent support and low staff morale until the new team arrived.
Since the last inspection in 2021 there have been 6 registered managers, with 4 in the last year... People told us this had led to inconsistent support from the senior management... and staff morale being low.
AI Generated
CQC Inspection Overview
CQC Inspection
Last inspected: April 2020
Outstanding
Safe
✓
Good
Effective
✓
Good
Caring
✓
Good
Responsive
★
Outstanding
Management Quality
Well-led: Outstanding
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- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection Data
- PlainSight staff reviews