Archived: The London Gamma Knife Centre

Updated 4 April 2022

The London Gamma Knife Centre is a radiosurgery service which provides treatment to adults aged 18 and over. The service provides specialised treatment to patients living with malignant and benign tumours of the brain using high intensity radiation which is targeted to the treatment area using advanced diagnostic scanning facilities and computer assisted treatment planning. Some vascular malformities in the brain could also be treated using the radiosurgery machine. The service is primarily an outpatient service, but the service can see inpatients if needed. The service saw primarily private patients and did not have any service level agreement to treat NHS patients at the time of the inspection. The service has had a registered manager in place since it first registered in 2018. The service is registered for the following regulated activities:

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

This was the first inspection of the service since it registered and as such the service did not have a history of enforcement associated with it.

The main service provided by this hospital was cancer care and as such we reported this inspection under medical core service using our cancer core service framework.

Updated 4 April 2022

This was the first time we rated this 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. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. 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. Key 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 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:

• Staff did not always accurately record the amount of local anaesthesia administered during the frame fit procedure.

Updated 4 April 2022