Frome Renal Unit

This was the first time we rated the 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. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from 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, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information.
• 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.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the unit’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. All staff were committed to improving services continually.
• All 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.

However:

• Recruitment checks were not always carried out in line with Schedule 3 of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We reviewed four of 13 recruitment files and found there were gaps in the recruitment checks. This was mostly when staff transferred to work for Fresenius from a previous dialysis provider. This related to a lack of evidence of disclosure and barring checks.
• The service did not use a national tool to help them to identify patients who deteriorated.