BPAS - Peterborough

Updated 5 September 2019

BPAS Peterborough is operated by British Pregnancy Advisory Service. BPAS Peterborough is a treatment unit that provides termination of pregnancy and family planning services to private and NHS patients. It comprises of one main location in Peterborough town centre and a satellite location in Cambridge at a General Practitioners surgery.

The service provides termination of pregnancy as a single speciality service; We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We last inspected the service on 17 May 2016. We did not rate the service previously and there were no compliance or enforcement actions associated with this service.

The treatment unit is registered to provide the regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures

• Surgical procedures

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

• Family planning

• Termination of pregnancy.

At the time of our inspection the treatment unit has a registered manager who was onsite supporting the treatment unit manager one day a week. Following our inspection, the service’s treatment unit manager became the service’s registered manager.

The centre does not provide surgery under general anaesthetic. Opening days are currently Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week at BPAS Peterborough and Tuesdays at Cambridge treatment unit.

Staff employed consisted of three registered nurses (whole time equivalent (wte) 1.81) and six administration staff (wte 3.04). No medical doctors are directly employed at BPAS Peterborough, but one doctor supports the bi-monthly surgical list working under practising privileges.

Updated 5 September 2019

BPAS Peterborough is operated by British Pregnancy Advisory Service. BPAS Peterborough provides consultation and early medical abortion (EMA) and medical termination of pregnancy up to 10 weeks gestation and surgical termination of pregnancy up to 13 weeks gestation. There is one treatment room where surgical termination of pregnancy by vacuum aspiration is undertaken, with the options of local anaesthetic and/or conscious sedation for pain management. This is performed as day case surgery and no overnight accommodation is provided. The service had two ultrasound screening rooms and five consultation rooms.

The service provides termination of pregnancy, sexual health screening and family planning services. We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out an unannounced inspection on 16 May 2019.

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 did not previously rate this service. We rated it as Good overall.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse and the service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.
• The service controlled infection risk well. Staff used equipment and control measures to protect patients, themselves and others from infection. They kept equipment and the premises visibly clean.
• Staff completed and updated risk assessments for each patient and removed or minimised risks. Staff identified and quickly acted upon patients at risk of deterioration.
• The service had enough staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep patients safe from avoidable harm and to provide the right care and treatment. Managers regularly reviewed and adjusted staffing levels.
• Staff kept detailed records of patients’ care and treatment. Records were clear, up-to-date, stored securely and easily available to all staff providing care.
• The service provided care and treatment based on national guidance and evidence-based practice. Managers checked to make sure staff followed guidance.
• The service made sure staff were competent for their roles. Managers appraised staff’s work performance and held supervision meetings with them to provide support and development.
• Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals worked together as a team to benefit patients. They supported each other to provide good care.
• The nursing team were highly committed to giving patients a personalised service. Care was delivered by an exceptional team.
• Staff supported patients to make informed decisions about their care and treatment. They followed national guidance to gain patients’ consent. They knew how to support patients who lacked capacity to make their own decisions or were experiencing mental ill health.
• The service planned and provided care in a way that met the needs of local people and the communities served. It also worked with others in the wider system and local organisations to plan care.
• The service was inclusive and took account of patients’ individual needs and preferences. Staff made reasonable adjustments to help patients access services. They coordinated care with other services and providers.
• It was easy for people to give feedback and raise concerns about care received. The service treated concerns and complaints seriously, investigated them and shared lessons learned with all staff.
• Leaders had the integrity, skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff. They supported staff to develop their skills and take on more senior roles.
• Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. The service promoted equality and diversity in daily work. The service had an open culture where patients, their families and staff could raise concerns without fear.
• Leaders and staff actively and openly engaged with patients, staff and local organisations to plan and manage services. They collaborated with partner organisations to help improve services for patients.
• All staff were committed to continually learning and improving services. Leaders encouraged innovation.

We found areas of outstanding practice:

• Staff always took people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs into account and found innovative ways to meet them. For example, using alternative equipment so that the patient wouldn’t have to hear the sound of a vacuum to alleviate their anxiety about the noise and allowing patients to be accompanied by a relative.
• Consideration of patient’s dignity was consistently embedded within all staff member’s practice. One patient had returned to the treatment unit on the day of our inspection after bleeding heavily, staff ensured provided her with reassurance and clothing to ensure she was comfortable leaving the treatment unit.

We found areas of practice that require improvement:

• Waiting times from referral to treatment were not in line with national standards.

Heidi Smoult

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (Central)

Updated 5 September 2019

BPAS Peterborough is operated by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). It comprises of one main location in Peterborough and one satellite location in Cambridge.

The service provides termination of pregnancy as a single speciality service.