- Independent hospital
InHealth Community Diagnostic Centre - Hornchurch
Assessment report published 14 August 2026
Contents
Ratings - Diagnostic imaging
Our view of the service
We carried out an assessment of this service on 25 June 2026.
InHealth CDC Hornchurch is a community diagnostic centre providing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services. The service has 1 MRI scanner and 5 consulting rooms used by visiting InHealth healthcare professionals such as screening sonographers, cardiac physiologists, and audiologists. Most patients were privately funded, although the service also accepted referrals from National Health Service (NHS) providers and other independent healthcare services.
We rated the service as good.
During the assessment, we spoke with 11 patients and relatives or carers who used the service, 8 staff members and leaders. We also reviewed incident data, complaints, patient feedback, policies, audits and governance information.
Staff treated people with kindness, respect and compassion, and people consistently reported a positive experience. Staff communicated clearly, supported people to understand their care and responded to their needs. People were able to access services in a timely way. Leaders had established governance systems to monitor quality and safety, and there was a positive team culture where staff felt supported and able to raise concerns.
Staff delivered care in line with national guidance and best practice. There were effective systems for safeguarding, infection prevention and staff training, and there were enough trained staff to meet people’s needs. There was a positive learning culture. Learning from incidents and feedback was shared across the organisation, which supported improvement.
However, staff did not always manage risks related to the environment and equipment effectively, as access to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) area was not consistently secure, and equipment containing patient data was not always managed safely. Staff did not always work effectively with people to manage risk, and there were gaps in safety-netting, including missed or delayed escalation of findings and unclear advice to patients about when to seek urgent care.
People's experience of this service
People told us they had a positive experience of the service and were treated with kindness, respect and professionalism by staff. They described staff as friendly, reassuring and supportive, and said information was explained clearly, which helped them feel at ease. Most people felt safe, listened to and able to raise concerns if needed.
Many said booking was straightforward and they were offered suitable appointments, with reminders and support to rearrange where needed. However, equipment faults sometimes led to cancellations and delays, which affected access. People told us staff communicated clearly and provided them with information before and during their appointments. Most people felt well informed about their scan and what would happen next.
Staff generally met people’s individual needs and made reasonable adjustments, including supporting those with mobility or communication needs and providing reassurance for anxiety. However, staff were not always aware of the arrangements available for patients and told us there was limited flexibility in appointment times, with no option to extend slots or visit the scanner in advance. This reduced the service’s ability to fully tailor care for people who required additional support.