Alcura House is run by Alcura UK Limited and offers patients individualised care across the UK. The service offers patients the flexibility of receiving treatments, including injections and infusions in the comfort of their own homes. Qualified nurses clinically assess patients, administer medicines, monitor each patient for potential ill effects or adverse reactions of any treatments, supply required medical equipment and also train patients to self-administer medicines in their own homes. Referrals into the service are received primarily by NHS organisations. At the time of this inspection, Alcura House had 1251 active patients.
This was the first inspection of Alcura House.
We rated the service as good because:
- The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Alcura House had a pool of regular bank staff and did not use agency staff. Patients therefore received consistent care from the same nurses. All nursing staff had training in key clinical skills which had been tested through competency assessments.
- Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. All staff received safeguarding training and adhered to the organisations policy. We saw that concerns had been raised appropriately when recognised.
- The service controlled infection risk well with all nurses adhering to national guidelines. All nurses had been supplied with relevant personal protective equipment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and had not experienced supply issues.
- Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff routinely collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
- Staff provided good care and treatment. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent in their roles. Staff teams worked well together for the benefit of patients. Nurses supported patients to make decisions about their care.
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. Staff provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
- The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment upon referral to the service.
- Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff were committed to improving services to ensure patients received the best possible care.