Direct Medicare UK Ltd

Updated 5 January 2023

Direct Medicare UK Ltd is a registered location for Direct Medicare UK Limited. The location has been registered since July 2019 to provide the regulated activities diagnostic and screening services and treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The service provides diagnostic ultrasound procedures on a sessional basis at a range of GP and healthcare locations. The registered location does not host any clinics on site but is the provider’s main administrative base for delivery of services, which are mainly at sites in the North West and South East of England.

At the time of our inspection, there had not been a registered manager at the location since February 2021.

This was the first inspection since the provider’s registration.

Updated 5 January 2023

We rated this location as requires improvement because:

• There was a lack of clarity about who was the designated lead in the service for escalating any safeguarding concerns. Not all staff had completed training on how to recognise abuse Staff did not always assess risks to patients, or act on them. Not all information in records was easily available.
• Patient information was not always clear, Staff did not always follow national guidance and service policies for obtaining and documenting patients’ consent.
• Staff did not always take account of patients’ individual needs and make reasonable adjustments where these were needed. Staff did not always ensure patients had drunk enough water when needed prior to their investigation. Information for patients about how to raise any concerns was not always clear.
• Leaders did not always understand and manage the priorities in the service. Governance systems were unclear and there was a lack of corporate oversight in management of risks and issues across the service. Recruitment procedures did not always follow legislative requirements.

However:

• 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. The service controlled infection risk well and staff kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents and had a process to learn 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 and had access to good information. Key services were available to suit patients' needs.
• 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 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 using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were mostly clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged with patients to plan and manage services and staff were committed to improving services.

Updated 5 January 2023

We rated this service as requires improvement.

See the summary above for details.