Brain injury rehabilitation service to launch in South Shields

National care provider, Voyage Care is continuing with its expansion plans as it has announced it will launch a brain injury rehabilitation service at site Cleadon Court, South Shields.

Currently undergoing reconstruction, Cleadon Court will feature eight purposely designed en suite bedrooms, offering residential support to individuals in the early stages of their rehabilitation journey, plus five self-contained apartments providing aa transitional pathway for those who may be ready to live more independently.

Voyage Care is working closely with partners Jennor Construction to ensure the new Cleadon Court site in Horsley Hill is adapted to meet the wide range of needs of those who have suffered brain injuries.

Special features will include a dedicated therapy room, for delivery of a range of therapies tailored to meet the needs of future residents, and a purpose-built training kitchen, offering opportunities to put re-learnt skills into practice.

Read the latest news in your inbox with a Shields Gazette newsletter

To mark their first site visit, the team enlisted some additional expert help. Brian McKay, a person they support, made a special guest appearance to appraise the work in progress. Suited and booted in his hard hat and high-visibility jacket, eagle eyed Brian – who used to work full time as a Chartered Surveyor before his brain injury – set about assessing the work in progress.

Brian provided Voyage Care Property Development Manager, Karen Beydoun, and Jennor Construction Site Manager Colin O’Donnell, with his valuable feedback.

He praised the team for their efforts to accommodate the needs of those with brain injuries, and exuded confidence that they were on course to achieve their target completion date of late Spring.

When asked about the decision behind opening a third site in 2024, Developments Director Alan Marshall said: “Planning started a year ago and came into fruition with the opening of three new sites, each offering additional beds within the Voyage Care brain injury rehabilitation provision.

"Each new service has been planned to continue the excellent quality care we already deliver and reflects lessons learned from each service opened before that one.”

“Cleadon Court has been developed to meet specific needs and we qualified these adaptations by analysing national statistics, feedback from commissioners and the people we support.”

READ MORE: Crusade-Con to return for third event filled with comics and gaming

As well as offering life-changing rehabilitation and therapeutic support to those who have suffered brain injuries, Cleadon Court will open up career opportunities for people in the local area.

Operations Director, Vicki Bennett, added: “We have a variety of roles available in the South Shields area. Currently, we are recruiting for a Manager and Deputy Manager to work as a dynamic duo in leading Cleadon Court into the future.

"We also have opportunities for Support Workers at different levels and an in-house Therapy Lead, to govern and manage effective delivery of our unique therapy provision.

“It’s an exciting time for us to welcome a new team who are committed to empowering the people we support to relearn lost skills, reclaim their independence, and return home to their families when the time comes.”