Taunton PET CT

Updated 10 January 2022

Taunton PET-CT centre is based at Musgrove Park Hospital and is owned and operated by Alliance Medical Limited. This service performs PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT (Computed Tomography) scans for NHS patients from most NHS Trusts in the geographical area. This offers patient choice for scanning.

PET-CT imaging is a type of molecular imaging which provides valuable information about the structure or anatomy of the tissues being examined. By giving small quantities of a radioactive injection, PET produces images showing how the cells of the body are functioning. By combining PET and CT in single scanner, images are produced which reveal information regarding the exact location, size, nature and extent of disease anywhere in the body in greater detail.

The service operates from 7.45am to 7.45pm Monday to Friday with additional CT scans performed over the weekend depending on demand. From 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021, the service carried out 2699 examinations on 2001 patients. In the same timeframe, 30 patients did not attend their appointment.

The service is provided as part of a national contract issued and overseen by NHS England and Improvement.

The service is registered for the regulated activity of diagnostic and screening procedures.

This service was registered in 2017 and has an interim registered manager in post since October 2021.

Updated 10 January 2022

This service had not been previously inspected. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• The service provided mandatory training in key skills to all staff and but not all staff completed it. Some training was considered optional but should have been mandatory. Lessons learned from safety incidents were not always disseminated to staff effectively. Not all staff were up to date with training associated with the administration of radiopharmaceuticals.
• Governance processes were not always effective. Documentation allowing nuclear medicine practitioners to inject, and order radiopharmaceuticals did not reflect up-to-date licence numbers. There was no evidence current risks recorded on the risk register were reviewed and updated in line with company policy.

However:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in most 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. Staff knew how to report patient safety incidents.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients. Scanning services were available seven days a week.
• 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 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 too long for treatment.
• Leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff. They supported staff to develop their skills and take on more senior roles. The service had a vision for what it wanted to achieve and a strategy to turn it into action. The vision and strategy were focused on sustainability of services and aligned to local plans within the wider health economy. Staff at all levels were clear about their roles and accountabilities and had opportunities to meet, discuss and learn from the performance of the service.

Updated 10 January 2022

This service has not been previously inspected. We rated it as requires improvement. See the summary above for details