We carried out a review of the data available to us about Bodyscan City on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Bodyscan City, you can give feedback on this service.
This was a focused inspection to check on issues of concern from our previous inspection.
Our rating of this location improved. We rated it as good because:
However:
Bodyscan (London City) is operated by Bodyscan Limited. The service uses a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanner to measure body composition and provide clients with an indication of their levels of fat and bone density. The facility is operated out of one room rented from another independent health provider, also registered with CQC.
The service provides a diagnostic imaging service to adults only. We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the announced part of the inspection on 28 February 2019.
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 this service as Requires improvement overall.
The lack of record keeping verifying clients, their medical conditions and proper verification of identity plus results of scans as well as lack of records authorising scans by a registered clinician laid the process open to the risk of inappropriate and time inappropriate scans being undertaken. The lack of individual contemporaneous client records containing all of this information in one place was in breach of HSCA Regulation 17 (2) (c).
There were no prior medical referrals of clients to this service. There were doubts over the availability of the registered clinician/referral assessor having the time capacity to review and authorise all scans before they were undertaken.
We saw no evidence or records to show that the registered clinician/referral assessor had approved all scans before they were undertaken. For the protection of the client and for the protection of the scanning operator, the requirements for informed consent were not being met.
However:
Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and gave examples of when a safeguarding referral would be triggered.
The environment and equipment were suitable for the scans that Bodyscan undertook.
Staff induction consisted of at least three months’ on-the-job training with the registered manager, as well as statutory and mandatory e-learning. Staff underwent at least two months of one-to-one hands on training with real clients under direct supervision until they were competent. Clients were given a physical and electronic copy of their scans at the end of their appointments. The technology of the DEXA scanner allowed the service to retrieve the results of past scans.
The service subscribed to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) alerts via Google News, and Bodyscan’s director kept up to date with regulation changes.
Staff had completed equality and diversity training and adhered to the provider’s policy. Staff were always respectful and courteous, and as part of their induction process, this was monitored.
Clients’ privacy and dignity was respected at all times. Clients were required to undress for their scan; this happened behind a closed door and with a curtain drawn.
During the service and consultation, staff kept the client informed every step of the way, checking their understanding and encouraging them to ask questions. All new clients had an hour-long appointment to ensure that there was enough time to discuss all that was needed. The scan itself took five minutes.
Staff had a good understanding of the emotional impact of body composition reporting. Staff were constantly with the client during the consultation and scan and checked their comfort and anxiety levels throughout.
The service had effective systems to ensure that they were able to communicate with clients with hearing impairments. This included communicating with clients via text, email and having consideration for seating arrangements during consultations so that scanning operators could lip read if a patient had a hearing impairment.
Bodyscan’s DEXA body composition measurement service provided information that enabled individuals to measure and monitor their body.
Appointment availability was good, and clients could book a same day appointment in some instances.
The service only received one formal complaint and this was handled by the registered manager of the service.
The number of compliments the service received between 1 November 2017 and 31 October 2018 was 153.
The service director gave us a clear view of the future vision and strategy for the service which included expansion outside of London.
The director was regarded as being a “a very good leader and boss” and was described as being visible and accessible to staff.
The morale among staff was good and staff enjoyed working in the service, sharing in the knowledge of one another.
The service had a risk register with clearly identified risks highlighted.
Name of signatory
Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals Nigel Acheson