Basinghall Health Centre

We had not previously rated this location. We rated it as good because:

• Leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff. They supported staff to develop their skills.
• Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. The service had an open culture where patients, their families and staff could raise concerns without fear. All staff were committed to continually learning and improving services. They had a good understanding of quality improvement methods and the skills to use them.
• Leaders and teams used systems to manage performance effectively. They identified and escalated relevant risks and issues and identified actions to reduce their impact. Leaders and staff actively and openly engaged with patients, staff, equality groups, the public and local organisations to plan and manage services.
• The service minimised the number of times patients needed to attend the service, by ensuring patients had access to the required staff and tests on one occasion. Any diagnostic tests and the patient consultations in this pathway were completed in one visit, which the service referred to as a "one-stop shop". Patients we spoke with stated this was efficient and meant they could receive their treatment quickly.
• Staff supported and involved patients, families and carers to understand their condition and make decisions about their care and treatment.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs.
• Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals worked together as a team to benefit patients. They supported each other to provide good care.
• The service provided care and treatment based on national guidance and evidence-based practice.
• The service managed patient safety incidents well. Staff recognised and reported incidents and near misses. Managers investigated incidents and shared lessons learned with the whole team and the wider service.

However:

• On inspection we identified a risk that some patients and visitors going to the radiology suite were not being sufficiently screened for risks related to MRI machines.
• Staff in the radiology suite stated that they performed quarterly evacuation drills for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, however these drills were not being documented.