Baby Grows Scan Clinic Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We looked for evidence that people and communities had the best possible outcomes because their needs were assessed. We checked that people's care, support and treatment reflected these needs and any protected equality characteristics, ensuring people were at the centre of their care. We also looked for evidence that leaders instilled a culture of improvement, where understanding current outcomes and exploring best practice was part of their everyday work.

At our last inspection we inspected but did not rate this question. At this assessment we assessed this and have rated it as good. People's outcomes were consistently good, and people's feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service made sure people's care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

The key question Effective is not rated for diagnostic assessments. However, we found the service met women's outcomes and were consistently good.

We looked for evidence that people's care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

The service planned and delivered women's care and treatment with them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Women were assessed through the booking process. Following our previous inspection the booking system had been adapted to ensure the service did not book people under 6 weeks gestation. All bookings were taken on the system to prevent any inappropriate appointments.

Women were then reassessed on arriving at the clinic to confirm there were no changes to their health, if they had experienced any bleeding which would exclude them from the scan. Whilst on site we observed woman being given information and being reassessed prior to their scan.

Women were informed and understood when and how they would receive their scan images and results prior and during their appointment. During scans we observed the sonographer asked women if they were comfortable or experiencing any pain.

Staff understood how and when to assess whether a woman had the capacity to make decisions about their care.

Staff talked with women and their families in a way they could understand, and the service could provide information in a larger format if required.

The service had access to interpreting services and women were asked to notify the service in advance of any communication support or translation services.

Staff made sure women and their families understood their care and treatment. The service website provided clear information about scanning options available and the appropriate time in a pregnancy for these to take place. The service provided information in the clinic leaflets of organisation and information to support women and birthing people during and after their pregnancy.

We reviewed pre-scan questionnaires and saw they had all been fully completed. Staff clearly recorded consent within women's records.

The service planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

All staff had the relevant experience and training for their role, there was an induction checklist in place. Staff had completed their mandatory training, this was a requirement for improvement from the previous report. All staff had an appraisal, and we saw records of clinical supervision. Regular team meetings took place and staff we spoke with said they had attended the meetings and found them useful.

All policies were found to be up to date and related specifically to the service. Policies were reviewed yearly by the registered manager. Staff were aware of how to access policies, which were stored electronically as well as in paper format. Policies and protocols were in line with current legislation and national evidence-based guidance from professional organisations, such as British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS).

The service worked well across teams and services to support people.

The service had connections with local NHS early pregnancy units and referred individuals where this was required, and they had permission to do so.

The sonographer used referral pathways to ensure women received timely on-going care, such as when they identified foetal abnormalities or a miscarriage. The sonographer explained what they had detected and what they had based their decision on and referred them to the appropriate early pregnancy unit.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control.

Women were informed before, during and after that scans provided by the service should not replace any routine NHS antenatal scans. The service had information available on pregnancy and birth, healthy lifestyle and exercise.

The service routinely monitored people's care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were supportive, positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of women themselves.

The service routinely monitored women's experience to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

The service actively sought feedback from clients to improve service provision and quality. The service encouraged women to provide feedback through online reviews, social media reviews or email.

Regular compliance audits were completed by the registered manager to monitor the service's performance and to identify any areas where improvements could be required.

The service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centered care and treatment.

The service ensured women completed and signed a pre-scan questionnaire and declaration form. The service made it clear on their website and in all pre-scan questionnaire and consent forms that women should attend all NHS scan appointments and scans completed at the service were not a replacement for NHS scans. On arrival staff went through the consent form and gave them time alone to ensure they were happy to sign the consent form. They ensured that women understood how they wanted to receive the news on gender, whether immediately or to take away. Consent was also gained at various stages throughout the scanning process.