Tipton Dialysis Unit

Updated 24 August 2023

Tipton Dialysis Unit is operated by Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services Limited. The location provides dialysis treatment though a service level agreement with the local NHS trust. NHS consultants visit the unit for renal clinics and referred patients for dialysis.

The facilities include 24 dialysis stations and 4 isolation rooms. Facilities also include 2 patient consulting rooms. The unit is located within a standalone building in Tipton and is approximately 5 miles from the referring trust.

The trust refers patients who are stable on haemo-dialysis to this service.

The service was last inspected in 2017 but was not rated.

At the inspection in 2017 we found the provider was in breach of regulation 12: safe care and treatment. This was monitored via action plan submitted to CQC following the last inspection.

Updated 24 August 2023

This was the first time we have rated this service. 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, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. 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. 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 used innovative approaches to providing integrated person-centered pathways of care that involved other service providers, particularly for people with multiple and complex needs. The service worked extra hard to meet the needs of 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 treatment.
• There was a clear management structure with defined lines of responsibility and accountability and strong collaboration and support across all functions with a common focus on improving quality of care and people’s experiences. The leadership drove continuous improvement and staff were accountable for delivering change. 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:

• Part of the flooring was in need of urgent repair. Plans for repair were in progress.

Updated 24 August 2023