Archived: Clinical Diagnostic Services

Updated 2 December 2021

Clinical Diagnostic Services at Hendon is operated by Clinical Diagnostic Services (CDS) LLP. CDS operates ultrasound services across two locations, Harley Street and Hendon.

The service at Hendon is located within a private hospital. It consists of one scanning and consultation room with an ultrasound machine, an office and shared reception area and waiting room. The service offers advanced ultrasound scanning and transvaginal scanning covering several specialties including general gynaecology and women’s healthcare, fertility managements and In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), early pregnancy assessments and prenatal screening. They also offer general medical ultrasound scans.

We inspected diagnostic imaging services at Clinical Diagnostic Services at Hendon using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out an unannounced visit to the service on 22 September 2021.

We previously inspected this service on 7 November 2018. We found the provider had now met all requirement notices except for two: the provider must take prompt action to ensure audit and monitoring systems are in place to monitor performance and compliance with local and national guidelines; and the provider must take prompt action to ensure that all risks related to patient safety are recorded with actions to mitigate them.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led? Where we have a legal duty to do so we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

Updated 2 December 2021

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as requires improvement because:

The service did not always control infection risk well. The service did not conduct infection prevention control (IPC) audits such as hand hygiene audits. Sonographers did not always follow the service’s policy on personal protective equipment (PPE), for example they did not always wear aprons for scans.

There was no formal policy for the management of patients who suddenly became unwell. The provider relied on the host location’s emergency equipment.

Leaders did not operate effective governance processes. The risk assessment and recording process was not fit for purpose. The service’s policies did not include the author or source guidance

Leaders of the service did not exhibit an understanding of the Duty of Candour regulations.

However:

The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills.

Staff provided good care to patients. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information. Key services were available with flexible times throughout the week.

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. Feedback from patients was overwhelmingly positive.

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 a diagnostic procedure.

Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients.

The service and its director were recognised within the sector for their involvement and pioneering work in developing key technical advances in ultrasound imaging.

Updated 2 December 2021

Our rating of this service stayed the same. We rated it as requires improvement because:

See the summary above for details.