DaVita (UK) Ltd - Boston Also known as Renal Services (UK) Ltd

Updated 11 October 2022

Renal services (UK) Ltd- Boston is operated by Renal Services UK Limited. Renal Services UK limited is now part of the DaVita International Group Company. The service is nurse led and provides treatment for patients over the age of 18 years.

The service is an independent speciality provider of dialysis treatment. This was the first inspection of the service since its registration with CQC.

The service has 15 stations and was open six days a week, operating three dialysis shifts per day.

The service is registered with the CQC for the regulated activities treatment of disease, disorder or injury and has been registered since July 2020.

Updated 11 October 2022

We carried out an inspection of Renal Services (UK) LTD-Boston using our comprehensive methodology on the 9 and 10 of August 2022. The service had not previously been inspected.

We rated it as requires improvement overall because it was requires improvement in responsive and well led.

• Staff were not following control of substances hazardous to health risk assessments (COSHH).
• Effective processes were not in place for identifying, receiving, recording, handling and responding to complaints.
• Security measures aimed to keep people safe were not being followed.
• Some medicines were not in date.
• Shared care was not yet implemented at the service; however leader told us this was driven by the trust and delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Staff on the unit were not able to access the most up to date policies; however, these had been reviewed by senior leaders, most with no significant changes.
• There were no communication tools in place for patients with communication difficulties.
• Not all patients had been given their call bells.

However:

• The service 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 service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• 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. Key services were available to suit patients' needs.
• 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 and took account of patients’ individual needs. 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. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

Updated 11 October 2022

We rated it as requires improvement, see summary above for details.