Archived: Referral Management Centre Also known as Rose House

Updated 12 July 2022

Referral Management Centre provides eye clinic services for NHS patients across England and is run by Operose Health (Group) UK Limited. The services head office is based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, the service had contracts with host clinics and hired out clinic rooms from 23 GP’s and healthcare centres across the country.

The regulated activities provided are;

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Surgical procedures
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

This was the first time the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected this service and was the first time the service has been rated. Not all activities carried out by Referral Management Centre are within the CQC’s remit. Therefore, we have only inspected ophthalmology services.

Updated 12 July 2022

We rated it as requires improvement because:

• The service did not have assurances that risks within host clinics were monitored and mitigated.
• Staff did not have assurances that emergency equipment was available or safe for use in the event of a patient deteriorating.
• The service did not control infection risk well. Clinics were cluttered, cleaning schedules did not provide assurances that areas were clean, and staff were not bare below the elbows.
• We observed staff training other staff in techniques that did not follow best practice.

However:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• Staff provided good care and treatment. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service. 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 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.
• Leaders 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. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

Updated 12 July 2022