Archived: Forest Dialysis Unit

Updated 14 March 2023

Forest Dialysis Unit is operated by B. Braun Avitum UK Limited. The service provides haemodialysis and dialysis for patients in renal failure to NHS patients over the age of 18 under a contract with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The unit is located in a purpose-built building in a rural area on the outskirts of Cinderford, Gloucestershire. It has 12 dialysis stations, 4 of which are in private side rooms.

Patients typically live in the Forest of Dean although the unit also provides treatment to patients in the area on holiday under an NHS England scheme. Patients receive care in dialysis chairs and the unit is open 6 days per week from 7am to 6.30pm.

The provider registered this location in 2012. A registered manager is in post and the service is required to carry out the following regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services which have had a recent Direct Monitoring Approach (DMA) assessment where no further action was needed to seek assurance about this decision and to identify learning about the DMA process.

We last inspected the service in May 2017. At that inspection we did not have a duty to rate and instead published a narrative report. We found 5 breaches of the Health and Social Care Act (2014) in relation to regulation 12 and regulation 17 and issued requirement notices to the provider. At this inspection we found the provider had made some improvements and addressed some of the issues that contributed to the previous breaches of regulation. However, there were still areas for improvement.

Updated 14 March 2023

We rated this service 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 collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• 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:

• There were gaps and discrepancies between the provider’s safeguarding policy and staff knowledge.
• Governance processes between the provider and the responsible body that operated the site were inconsistent.

Updated 14 March 2023

We rated this service as good. See the overall summary for more information.