The Newcastle Clinic

Our inspection found several areas of concern including breaches of regulation. During our visit a new leadership team was put in place with new Directors taking over. CQC did not initiate enforcement processes because of this.

The Newcastle Clinic is operated by Newcastle Clinic Ltd. The service is based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear and provides diagnostic imaging referrals from NHS trusts, GP’s and private referrals from consultants.

The service provides an open MRI scanner which is more suitable for patients who are claustrophobic, have a higher BMI or have difficulty in tolerating a conventional scanner. The service also offers Ultrasound, Image Intensifier screening and facet joint injection for pain relief.

We commenced a responsive assessment on 7 May 2025 because of concerns from staff and people who used the service. We undertook this unannounced assessment of The Newcastle Clinic on 28 and 29 May 2025. During the assessment, we spoke with staff, leaders, people who use the service and service partners. We looked at care records, policies and other documents relating to the service. We assessed 32 quality statements from our Single Assessment Framework across all key questions.

We rated the location as Inadequate. At this assessment we identified 7 breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment, premises and equipment, receiving and acting on complaints, good governance, staffing and fit and proper persons employed.

We found that the service lacked governance and management systems, which prevented leaders from having full oversight of information about risks, performance and outcomes. The service did not always ensure that persons providing care or treatment to patients had the qualifications, competence, skills and experience to do so safely. The service did not have effective systems for the management of incidents. The service did not have effective systems for managing people’s complaints or around gathering feedback about people’s experiences. The service did not have an effective process for carrying out checks on company directors and other staff in line with regulatory requirements for fit and proper persons. Staff were not trained in immediate life support in accordance with their own policy, reducing the ability to respond to medical emergencies. Safeguarding policies did not reflect national guidance and staff training compliance was low. The service did not have effective systems for the administration and storage of medicines. Staff mandatory training compliance was well below the services target. Policies were generic and did not always reflect up-to-date national guidance.

However, we found that the service had enough staff for the level of clinical activity undertaken, with people at the centre of their care. The facilities were clean and well maintained. We received positive feedback from partners and people who used the service.

At this assessment we found the service isn’t performing as well as it should, and we have told the service how it must improve. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found during this assessment.