- Independent hospital
Paul Strickland Scanner Centre
Assessment report published 1 December 2025
Contents
Ratings - Diagnostic imaging
Our view of the service
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of Paul Strickland Scanning Centre on 30 September 2025, due to the service having an aged rating. We inspected 34 quality statements across the five key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
During the inspection, we spoke to a range of staff in the centre, radiologists, radiographers, physicists, modality leads, admin support staff, and senior leaders.
We spoke with patients and staff on site, reviewed patient and staff feedback. We reviewed patient comment cards and surveys, as well as other data provided by the service following the onsite visit.
The service had last been inspected in December 2018, with a rating of good. The rating of Paul Strickland Scanning Centre remains Good.
The service had a good safety culture. The environment was safe, clean and fit for purpose. The service monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it and delivered effective evidence-based care and treatment. Staff communicated with patients with genuine kindness and compassion and protected patients’ dignity. The service worked to ensure that everyone could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The service was well-led by leaders who actively engaged with staff and patients.
While the service continued to deliver high-quality care, there were some areas which required support. These included improving administrative training compliance and addressing imaging reporting delays. Leaders had recognised these challenges and implemented action plans focused on recruitment, workflow optimisation and digital improvements.
Paul Strickland Scanner Centre remained a well-led, safe and responsive service that delivered compassionate, inclusive and high-quality diagnostic imaging. The Improvements made since the last inspection reflected the service’s ongoing effort towards learning, equity and excellence in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care.
People's experience of this service
People described their experience at the service as positive, respectful and reassuring. Feedback was gathered through comment cards, QR code responses and conversations during the assessment, which showed that staff were kind, courteous and attentive to individual needs. Between May and August 2025, the service received 643 positive feedback responses. People told us that staff listened to them, explained procedures clearly and made them feel safe and informed throughout their visit.
Care was personalised and responsive to individual circumstances. Staff made reasonable adjustments to meet people’s needs, such as offering extended appointments, quiet sessions for people with autism, and pre-visit tours for those experiencing anxiety. Translation services, visual aids and easy-read materials supported people with communication needs, and adjustments were made for those with mobility limitations or sensory needs.
The service had a clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. People with protected characteristics were supported through reasonable adjustments, and feedback from diverse groups resulted in service improvements. For example, changes were made to the PET/CT suite layout to increase privacy following patient feedback.
People told us they felt involved in decisions about their care and supported to plan their appointments. Advocacy and emotional support were available, and staff made sure carers and family members were included where appropriate. Feedback mechanisms were accessible, and complaints were shared and used to improve services.
People’s experiences of the service showed they were compassionate, inclusive and responsive to individual needs. Staff listened, adapted care and acted on feedback to drive continuous improvement and enhance the quality of experience for everyone using the service.