STAFF at a care home in Darlington are reaping the rewards of their hard work after being rated as "good" by an independent watchdog.

North Park Care Home, in L’Anson Street, was praised for having staff with a positive attitude, and working hard to stop mistakes from happening.

To say thank you to staff, everyone was given a £100 gift voucher.

Daniel Hart, general manager at North Park said: “We are delighted that North Park was rated ‘Good’ overall following the CQC’s most recent inspection.

"The team at North Park always strive to provide the best possible quality care for everyone who lives at the home.”

Inspectors visited the home, which is run by Barchester Healthcare, towards the end of 2019, when they described it as responsive, safe, effective, caring and well-led.

It was rated as "good" in all areas, an improvement from its last full inspection in 2017 when some areas were found to need improvement,

Previous issues with the building not having enough adaptations for people living with dementia had been resolved, inspectors said.

Their report said: "People were very complimentary about the care and support the staff delivered.

"Staff consistently displayed kindness and a caring attitude. The manager discussed how they had worked to ensure each person was valued. Staff understood every person and knew what was important to them. They knew people's preferences and how they preferred to spend their days."