Archived: Window to the Womb -Wolverhampton

Window to the Womb- Wolverhampton is operated by SPS Retail Services Ltd. The service provides a baby scanning service which includes early pregnancy scans and gender scans. We inspected diagnostic imaging.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out a short announced inspection on 14 November 2019. We gave the service two days notice to ensure staff were available and on site.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led? Where we have a legal duty to do so we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Services we rate

We rated this service as Good overall.

We found good practice in relation to diagnostic imaging:

• 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 collected safety information and used it to improve the service.

• Staff provided good care. 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. Services were available six days a week.

• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and took account of their individual needs. They provided emotional support to patients and their families.

• 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 appointments.

• 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 to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However,

• Not all opportunities to report incidents had occurred.

• Not all records we looked at had been completed fully.

• We did note that the women read and signed the consent form in the waiting room; rather than having this discussion with a clinician or other staff member prior to signing.

Heidi Smoult

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals Midlands