IPDiagnostics Ltd

This service is rated as Good overall.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Requires improvement

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at IPDiagnostics Ltd on 25 August 2022 as part of our inspection programme.

Independent Physiological Diagnostics (IPD) Limited is a private, physiologist led domicilary service, specialising in sleep and neurophysiological diagnostic testing. There are no physical premises for patients to attend. The service offered home visits by using portable diagnostic equipment.

The senior physiologist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

For reasons of safety and infection prevention and control related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not commission patient feedback with CQC comment cards. We spoke to one patient during this inspection and received positive feedback.

Our key findings were:

• The provider offered a physiologist led domiciliary service, specialising in sleep and neurological diagnostic testing.
• There were detailed records kept of all patients who attended this service and the diagnostic procedures they received.
• Consultations were comprehensive and undertaken in a professional manner.
• Consent procedures were in place and these were in line with legal requirements.
• The service proactively gathered feedback from the patients.
• Information about services and how to complain was available.
• The physiologists were proactive in considering ways to improve and drive research in this specialist area.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the Duty of Candour.
• Recruitment checks were not always carried out in accordance with regulations.

The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:

• Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed.

(Please see the specific details on action required at the end of this report).

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Implement a system to assure that an adult accompanying a child had parental authority.
• Implement a system to formally document internal performance monitoring or peer reviews.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services