Window to the Womb

Updated 19 May 2023

The Window to the Womb service at Cramlington, is operated by D I Harries Cramlington Limited. The clinic opened in January 2022 and provides private ultrasound services to self-funding women who are over the age of 16 and more than six weeks pregnant. Ultrasound scans are separate from NHS standard care pathways.

The service offers an early pregnancy clinic (from six to 15 weeks of pregnancy), and a later pregnancy clinic (from 16 weeks of pregnancy).

The service has a registered manager in post since January 2022 and a second registered manager had also recently been appointed in March 2023.

The service is registered with CQC to undertake the regulated activity of diagnostic and screening procedures.

We have not inspected this service before

Updated 19 May 2023

We rated it as outstanding because:

• The service had enough staff to care for women and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect women from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to women, 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 women, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information.
• Staff were visibly motivated to provide exceptional care and took additional steps to ensure women with treated warmth and kindness. Staff adapted services following requests from women and tailored the care to ensure sensitive compassionate care delivery. The service ensured women understood their care fully, through continues review and ensured women were empowered as partners in their care.
• Women’s individual needs and preferences are central to the delivery of tailored services. Facilities and premises are bespoke and innovative and there is a proactive approach to understanding the needs of those women using the services. The service embraced innovation to ensure women received an exceptional experience within an environment with was bespoke to the services provided.

All leaders demonstrated a commitment to provide a high quality service for all women using the service. The provider embraced new technology and sought to harness new advances within the sector, both at research and operational level. Leaders encouraged women to have an active voice when designing services and supported open lines of communication to continually shape and improve the service. Staff fully 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 women receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities.

Updated 19 May 2023