Enfield Alliance MRI Centre

Updated 7 April 2022

Enfield Alliance MRI Centre is operated by Alliance Medical Limited. It is a diagnostic and screening service in Enfield, London. The service used one static magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner which was located in an NHS trust hospital and had an additional mobile MRI scanner on the NHS trust hospital site. The service primarily served Enfield and the surrounding communities. At the time of our inspection, Enfield Alliance MRI Centre served 98% NHS patients and 2% private patients. The service saw patients from age six and up. The service had been accredited under the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for the Quality Standard for Imaging (QSI).

The service had a registered manager, who had been in post since 2014 and is registered to provide the following registered activity:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures

The service had been inspected once since it registered with CQC in 2010. In that inspection in October 2013 the service was found to have met all the CQC standards. This current inspection was the first time we rated the service.

In the twelve months prior to the inspection, the unit had carried out approximately 13,000 MRI scans.

We carried out an unannounced inspection on 17 February 2022 using our comprehensive inspection methodology.

Updated 7 April 2022

This was the first time we have rated this location. We rated it as good because:

• 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. They managed medicines 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 and made sure staff 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. 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 understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. 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 and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• Not all staff had completed their mandatory training.
• It was not always clear how patients could make complaints or raise concerns to the service.

Updated 7 April 2022

This was the first time we rated this service. We rated it as good. See the summary above for details.