Published on: 12 August 2025
A care home has been hailed for its high standards after winning an award set up by an NHS trust to celebrate teams who help keep dirt and germs in check.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust carried out audits at 52 care homes across Sunderland and 23 in South Tyneside as part of its IPC Excellence Award.
It has been set up to acknowledge a care home which has shown it has high quality infection prevention and control standards. This is with a view to create a safe, clean and caring environment for residents, staff and visitors.
IPC stands for Infection Prevention and Control. A team at the Trust is dedicated to helping its community keep on top of measures.
Its members also work to supports wards and units at Sunderland Royal, South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Eye Infirmary, as well as its other sites with efforts to stop infections from being spread.
All care homes in the Trust area are supported by the IPC team. They also receive regular face-to-face training, which includes practical sessions and gives staff the skills they need to prevent and deal with infections.
It is the second year the awards have been run. It has been set up to acknowledge a care home which has shown it has high quality infection prevention and control standards. This is with a view to create a safe, clean, and caring environment for residents, staff and visitors.
Marine Park View in Beach Road, South Shields, was hailed as the winner.
The Marine Park View Home team with their award - Angie Marklew, care assistant, Karina Greenhalgh, activities co-ordinator, Toni Carlin, care home manager, Allenore Azizi, senior IPC Nurse, Julie Ainsworth, IPC Nurse, Ashleigh McDonald, head cook and Teresa Mullen, care assistant.
The team said it “consistently demonstrated excellent IPC standards from an environmental and hand hygiene perspective.”
Allenore Azizi is one of the Senior Infection Prevention and Control Nurses with the Trust.
She said:
"We would like to congratulate the care home team at Marine Park View on achieving the IPC Excellence Award and all those who put themselves forward for it. It is wonderful they take such pride in their work.
"This is a remarkable accomplishment for Marine Park View and a clear testament to its unwavering commitment in upholding infection prevention and control standards.
"The home’s dedication to creating a safe, clean, and caring environment for residents, staff and visitors is truly commendable.
"Achieving this recognition reflects not only the hard work and vigilance of the team, but also its leadership, which has prioritised health and safety at every level.
"Well done on this well-deserved success. I hope the team takes great pride in this achievement."
Toni Carlin is the manager of the family-owned home.
She said:
"I am proud of the staff who have worked closely to improve our infection control standards. It’s all down to the fact we all work as a team.
"To achieve this award as my first role as a manager is overwhelming, I had a little tear in my eye when I found out.
"We get lots of good comments from visitors, which is lovely. They feel the home is fresh and smells clean as soon as the door is open.
"Our residents have told us that they’re over the moon with home winning an award.
"One of them, who has lived here for over 18 years, said they were so pleased for us to win and says their room is always well looked after and that goes hand in hand with the fact the staff are lovely and caring."
June Holmes is the home’s IPC Champion and has supported it improving cleaning records, infection control audits and reviewing updates from the Trust team.
She said:
"This is my first award for the home and I have worked here for over 30 years, I am so overjoyed."
Senior staff member Kim Wylie added:
"It’s such a good feeling, knowing we’re coming into the home when it’s so clean. I feel proud to see how far the home has come in infection control, with actions plans that support outbreaks effectively. This award makes us all proud."
In addition to launching the award scheme, the IPC team has introduced home champions. They help oversee standards and empowers those in the role to support their colleagues. They meet virtually four times a year to discuss challenges and share their expertise.
There are plans in the pipeline to recognise these individuals who have completed their competencies with a celebration hosted with partners who work alongside the IPC team.
