Updated 3 January 2020
Diaverum UK Limited (Accrington) is operated by Diaverum UK Limited. The service is commissioned by a local trust and is located at another trust in the north west. The service provides dialysis services.
We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the inspection on 10 July 2019. We provided short-notice of the inspection as we needed to be sure that key people would be available during our inspection.
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.
Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Services we rate
We have not previously rated this service. We rated it as Good overall.
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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 unit 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 collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
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Staff provided effective care and treatment, supported patients with dietetic advice on food and drink and assessed and monitored patients regularly throughout their dialysis treatment. The unit manager monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent in their roles. Multidisciplinary team 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.
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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.
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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 for treatment. Complaints were investigated and responded to effectively.
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Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood their roles in meeting 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 accountabilities. The service engaged with patients and its commissioning trust to plan and manage the service. Staff were committed to continually improving the service.
We found areas of practice that require improvement:
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At the time of inspection, the dirty utility room was unlocked, with cleaning solutions on a trolley and crystallisation on the cupboard door, handle and around the sink. Although this was in a staff only area and therefore low risk, the provider should consider how cleaning arrangements and storage of cleaning solution are monitored within the dirty utility room.
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Risk assessments were completed and if the risk score was eight or above it was put onto the risk register. We reviewed four risk assessments and found one had a risk score of 10 and had not been put onto the risk register. The provider should consider how risk assessments are monitored and put onto the risk register.
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Patients told us they were concerned about the recruitment and retention of staff as staff members had left over the last six months and another staff member was due to leave within a month.
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Staff told us they were not aware of plans for service changes.
Following this inspection, we told the provider that it should make improvements, even though a regulation had not been breached, to help the service improve. Details are at the end of the report.
Ann Ford
Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (North)