4 June 2013
During a routine inspection
A compliance inspector and a CQC clinical and professional specialist advisor visited the premises, interviewed the registered manager and examined some relevant documents. The provider has no direct contact with the public. This inspection was to confirm quality and safety of the laboratory service for compliance to CQC regulatory standards on diagnosis and screening.
Acumen is a clinical laboratory providing results only on specific tests requested by doctors. Acumen develops the methodology for tests through its research. The provider also prepares detailed protocols to enable the tests to be offered by other clinical laboratories. Acumen does not provide diagnostic reports or clinical interpretation of results.
Acumen does not have a clinical facility. Patients do not attend the premises and no blood samples are taken at the laboratory. Samples are received through a PO Box address from which samples are collected. Therefore we were unable to speak with anyone who had provided a sample.
All tests were performed by the registered manager/independent scientist. There was one other member of staff with responsibilities for administrative and financial matters.
We found Acumen Medical Ltd was compliant with the five outcomes we inspected and was providing a safe and high quality specialist testing service.