A DARLINGTON care company is expanding its services on Teesside.

Care Matters, which employs 80 members of staff, supplies personal and palliative care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It means patients who are coming towards the end of their lives can be looked after at home rather than in hospitals or care homes.

Demand for its services is high and the company is now recruiting more staff to join its 20-strong team in Stockton and is also opening a new office in the town.

Within four hours of getting a call about a patient, Care Matters can make sure that the person is back at home, surrounded by family and care workers.

The scheme is the idea of regional manager Zoe Newbury. She said: “Often patients may have only a few hours to live, so it can be race against time to get them home. We are proud to be able to provide such a rapid response as it’s never been achieved before.

“We’ve had so much positive feedback about our care from families and we couldn’t work without the vital support from the NHS in Stockton.”

The company aims to grow its scheme throughout the North East, but initially plans to expand within either Middlesbrough or Guisborough.

Phil Crowther, director, said: “The precious work that Zoe’s team does is very close to my heart as I’ve first-hand experience because of my parents. She has been amazing in ensuring that we’ve been able to recruit such a strong team.

“We’ve trained more than 30 individuals to provide care for nearly 100 patients in our community and they are treated with the utmost kindness and dignity.”

The company is also heavily involved in local sport and sponsors Yarm’s Tribe Netball Club, Darlington Railway Athletic Cricket Club, Guisborough Squash Club and Eston Swimming Club.