Background to this inspection
Updated
16 December 2021
Diaverum UK LTD operates and manages Aldeburgh Renal Unit commissioned by a local NHS trust (the hub). Facilities include five renal dialysis stations and a water treatment room. Diaverum UK LTD Aldeburgh provides haemodialysis (dialysis) to adults aged 18 years and over. There are two dialysis sessions per day Monday, Wednesday and Friday, each accommodating up to five patients. The regulated manager has been in post for four years and is the unit and hub manager.
The service is registered for the regulated activities:
- Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
- Diagnostic and screening services
We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the unannounced part of the inspection on 13 October 2021. This was the first time we inspected the provider since it was acquired by Diaverum UK LTD.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well led? Where we have a legal duty to do so we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.
Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
The main service provided was dialysis.
Updated
16 December 2021
We have not previously rated this service. We rated it as good because:
- The provider had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The provider controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well.
- Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information.
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
- The provider 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.
- Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. The service engaged well with patients.
However:
- Staff did not always complete room temperature monitoring checks in line with provider policy.
- Staff had not disposed of out of date consumables
- Staff did not archive obsolete records.
- Patients did not have access to working televisions during their dialysis sessions.