A full range of medical support services
PDS Medical provide a wide range of mobile medical support services across the north west. Click on one of the sub-headings to view details of each service.
Ultrasound
The PDS Medical Non Obstetric (NOUS) and Obstetric ultrasound services are founded on modern, high specification and mobile ultrasound technology that can be brought to the patient rather than patients having to travel into hospitals.
We offer all our patients a fast and reliable scanning service performed a team of highly skilled Advanced Sonographer Practitioners who have experience in delivering ultrasound scanning services from local community settings such as health centres and specialist clinics. The Ultrasonographers work with consultant radiologist overview to ensure high levels of clinical governance and care and to provide specialist advice where necessary.
- We ensure that patients are seen within a week of the referral.
- Prompt reporting to referring GPs - issue a same day report to referring GPs so that they are fully and promptly informed
- Images are archived according to Policies and Procedures and are accessible to GP’s and secondary care.
- Comprehensive reporting to Commissioning Organisations - confirming the high quality of service via delivery of patient and GP feedback as well as performance statistics.
- We have a proven track record of providing a high quality service in the North of England with excellent feedback from both patients and referrers.
All Sonographers:
- are HPC registered (and assurance is confirmed on the HPC website), UK trained Advanced Practitioners in Medical ultrasound and is members of the Society of Radiographers and Medical Defence Union.
- perform clinical duties within the scope of NHS policies, and carry out the service in accordance with good clinical practice, national minimum standards, guidelines issued by N.I.C.E, Royal College of Radiologists Guidelines, British Medical Ultrasound Society, and within the guidelines of the Occupational Standards for the Practice of diagnostic ultrasound published by the college of Radiographers and also guidelines agreed locally.
- have appropriate qualifications which allow unsupervised practice of ultrasound scanning: those qualifications include the Diploma in Medical Ultrasound (DMU) and Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound (PGDip MU).
- implement a systematic approach in all scans and standard views and images are recorded at each examination – images are archived according to protocols per examination type on to a secure web based server so images can be accessed remotely via password encryption by Secondary Care Colleagues at any PC, avoiding the need to re-scan patients.
- ensure that for all outcomes of a serious nature, results are conveyed by telephone to the referring the GP on the same day and results are faxed and a confirmatory reply received within 4 hours.- As per Rapid Cancer Policy.
- have all relevant pre-employment checks – references from previous employers, Health Screening Medical and Inoculations.
Staff Quality Assurance:
- Sonographers and medical staff at PDS are subject to a rigorous quality assurance system. All scans are subject to double reporting, peer review and 10% of scans to external governance.
- Individual Competency of sonographer’s is assessed through pre-service interviews, review of qualifications and clinical experience.
- Ongoing competency is supported through education. Competence of all staff is assessed prior to contract and annually thereafter.
- All PDS Sonographers are registered with the Healthcare Professionals Council and that this assurance is confirmed on the HPC website.
- All PDS Sonographers possess Post graduate Diploma, Degree in Medical Ultrasound.
- All Sonographers are up to date with required mandatory training which as a minimum includes – Fire safety, moving and Handling, Infection control, Health and Safety, Data protection.
We manage all the patient administration from booking appointments, issuing reminders, providing patients with educational materials prior to their scan appointment and conducting patient satisfaction surveys to ensure the service we provide is of the highest quality.
We are N3 connected, with secure NHS net email access and are choose and book compatible. All PDS Information Technology and data storage is managed by a NHS Trust IT department.
We work on a cost per case basis and our standard charge per Scan is significantly lower than the national tariff.
For more information and an informal chat please feel free to contact the PDS head office on 01253 655213 or email leemcglynn@nhs.net
