Hartlepool MRI Unit

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We looked for evidence that patients were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We assessed the levels of privacy and dignity afforded to patients. We asked patients to tell us about their experiences. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take patients’ wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

Patients were treated with kindness and compassion and their privacy and dignity was protected. Staff treated patients as individuals and supported their preferences. Staff responded to patients in a timely way. Patients had the opportunity to ask questions from radiographers.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs. Staff introduced themselves to patients and said what their role was. Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for patients. They took their time to interact with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way.

Staff in the scanning room responded to patients’ anxieties about their procedure and took steps to reduce the stress within the environment. Patients who were particularly anxious, who were very young or who had cognitive impairment were able to have somebody familiar with them, if the accompanying person cleared the safety checks. We observed a patient who required a support dog having a scan, and though the support dog was left in the waiting room with a relative, the staff treated the patient with compassion, empathy and patience throughout the scan and checked that the patient was happy to leave the dog in the waiting room. The clinical record for this patient was also flagged on the records system, so the staff knew in advance that the patient might require more time.

There was a private area for staff to check the safety questionnaire with the patient, to preserve confidentiality and dignity. There was also a private area with a curtain for cannulation to preserve dignity. In the scanning room patients were covered as far as possible and not unduly exposed.

Staff were respectful to the patients. Patients said staff treated them well and with kindness.

Staff followed policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential.

Staff treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. For example, women who wore a hijab were allowed to keep this on during the scan, providing there was no metal in the garment.

We saw that patients who might need extra support or time during the scan had flags attached to their records, so that staff were prepared and could meet their needs.

Feedback was gathered through patient surveys and concerns were responded to.

Staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The staff provided reassurance throughout the scan. They updated the patient on how long they had been in the scanner and how long was left. Patients had a panic button they could press any time during the scan to summon help, and staff could stop the scan at any time if the patient requested this.

Earplugs were available which protected patients’ ears and helped to reduce the noise. For those patients with increased anxiety, staff provided choice and control, such as the use of the call bell, trying the scan beforehand, bringing someone with them and the use of music through the procedure. We spoke with a patient who told us that they had been very anxious before their first scan, but because of the reassurance and support provided by staff, they were much less anxious for subsequent scans.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Patients could summon staff and there were emergency call bells sited close to patient treatment areas

People who used mobility aids such as walking frames or crutches had them close by and were assisted to use them after their scan was completed.

Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. They were empathetic and considerate of the stress of a scanning environment.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff had access to resources and facilities for safe working, which usually included time to take breaks. However, staff told us that when the service was particularly busy or there were only 2 staff available instead of 3, it wasn’t always possible to take breaks.

Staff were able to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences and could expect a response.

Staff told us that they felt valued by their leaders and colleagues and this was reflected in the staff survey, which showed that being valued by colleagues was the highest rated score at 4.5 out of 6.

Staff had access to an external employee assistance service, which included mental health support and access to GP and physiotherapy appointments if required. Overseas staff were also provided with additional support including a welcome to the UK package and driving lessons.

The service had produced training videos using a volunteer, showing the scanning process for different examinations. This helped staff to learn protocols and gain confidence, supporting them to deliver good care.