Electrodiagnostic Testing Unit

Updated 6 May 2022

The service provides a range of key diagnostic tests (electro-retinography, electro-oculography and visual evoked potential recording) that form part of the clinical ophthalmological assessment of patients who may be suffering from a variety of hereditary or acquired eye diseases.

Patients from two months old to over 90 years old were tested under standards from the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision.

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

A registered manager was in place and they are the sole clinician undertaking tests. Throughout this report the registered manager/sole clinician is referred to as the ‘registered manager’.

This service was previously inspected in 2013.

Updated 6 May 2022

We undertook a comprehensive inspection of the Electrodiagnostic Testing Unit on 2 March 2022.

The service was registered in 2013 and was set up to provide a clinical testing service for ophthalmologists across the Yorkshire region.

The service’ objective was to provide a high quality visual electrodiagnostic service to the local region located at the Bradford School of Optometry and Vision Science (BSOVS), an academic department within the University of Bradford. The service uses and builds upon the research expertise and clinical infrastructure that already exists in the School of Optometry and Vision Science.

We rated this service as good because the service was caring, effective, responsive and well led, however improvement was needed in safe.

Updated 6 May 2022

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. Staff assessed risks to patients and acted on them;
• Staff provided good care and treatment. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients and supported them to make decisions about their care;
• 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 ran services well 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:

• Although a contract was in place for an annual calibration of diagnostic equipment, the service was unable to give assurance this had been completed since 2017;
• Conductive neurodiagnostic paste used to adhere electrodes to patients, as well as saline used to relieve sensitive eyes were all out of date;
• Consent from patients for their care and treatment was not always recorded in line with legislation and guidance;
• Governance arrangements for the service had changed since registration, the service ‘Statement of Purpose’ had not been updated.

See the summary above for details.