Wigan PET Centre is operated by Alliance Medical Ltd. The centre opened in September 2016 and has diagnostic imaging facilities for positron emission tomography and computed tomography scans for adults under a commissioned contract from a specialist NHS trust. Patients are booked by the referring trust, then scans are reported by the consultant radiologists at the trust.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the unannounced inspection on 11 December 2018.

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 rated it as Good overall.

We found good practice about diagnostic imaging:

• The service provided mandatory training, including safeguarding, as well as service-specific competency training to all staff and made sure everyone completed it.
• The service controlled infection risk well. Staff kept themselves, equipment and the premises clean. Premises and equipment were suitable and well maintained.
• The service had enough radiography staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep people safe to provide the right care.
• Staff kept records of patients’ care. Records completed by staff were clear and completed appropriately. Radiopharmaceutical medicines were stored and administered in line with best practice.
• The service managed incidents well. Staff recognised incidents and reported them appropriately. Managers investigated incidents and shared lessons learned across the organisation.
• The service provided care and treatment based on national guidance. Managers checked to make sure staff followed guidance.
• Staff worked together as a team to benefit patients. Radiographers were supported by the NHS trusts to provide good care.
• Staff understood their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Staff cared for patients with compassion. Patients’ feedback showed that staff treated them well with respect and kindness. Staff put patients at ease and explained procedures in a way that patients and those close to them understood.

• The service took account of patients’ individual needs.
• The service treated concerns and complaints seriously. Lessons learned were shared across the organisation.
• Managers had the right skills and abilities to run a service providing high-quality care. They promoted a positive culture that supported and valued staff.
• The service and organisation had governance systems in place, including identify and managing risks.
• The service involved patients and staff well.

We found areas of practice that require improvement:

• Referrals into the service were not always clear and the service needed to confirm the details.
• Appointments were made by the referring NHS trust by letter only. Patients did not always attend for appointments as there was no system to confirm attendance.
• Difficulties with insufficient supplies of the radiopharmaceutical doses, affecting all contracted services, had resulted in cancellations of patients on the day of the appointment.
• There was no information or leaflets available in formats such as easy read or in languages other than English.

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.

Ellen Armistead

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals