Newcastle PET-CT Centre

Updated 23 June 2022

Alliance Medical Newcastle PET-CT service is an independent provider registered with CQC since 2020. It is located within the Freeman NHS hospital and is registered to provide the following regulated activities to the whole population (adults and children):

• Diagnostic and screening procedures

The service has a manager registered with CQC.

The service provided Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography (PET-CT) imaging for NHS and other funded (insured and self-pay) adults and children. PET-CT produces images showing how the cells of your body are functioning. By combining PET and CT in a single scanner, images are produced which can reveal information regarding the exact location, size, nature and extent of disease anywhere in the body with much greater detail.

The service had one static scanner with waiting and recovery areas and separate changing rooms.

Our inspection was unannounced (staff did not know we were coming). This was the first time we had inspected this service.

Updated 23 June 2022

• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave patients enough to eat and drink. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure most staff completed mandatory training and were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, 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 ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. The service engaged well with patients and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving and developing services continually.

However:

• The service provided mandatory safeguarding training but did not make sure everyone completed it.
• Although staff could articulate how they cleaned clinical equipment and the equipment we saw was visibly clean, the service did not keep cleaning records for clinical equipment.
• Some corporate and trust policies and protocols used by the provider were out of date or had incorrect version control. For example, the trust’s fire safety management and evacuation procedures, Alliance medical imaging protocols, local rules and corporate consent policy.

Updated 23 June 2022

Our rating of this service: we rated it as good. See the summary above for details.