Ultrasound-Care Bromsgrove

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Effective

Caring

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity, and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment, the rating has remained good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect and involved as partners in their care. Patients were treated as individuals and staff supported them with choices.

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 provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs. Staff introduced themselves to patients and said what their role was. Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for patients. They took their time to interact with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way. We were told how staff gave support when scans were not possible due to the baby’s position and facilitated a second scan if necessary.

Staff in the scanning room responded to patient’s anxieties about their procedure and took steps to reduce the stress. Patients told us that staff were very reassuring and chatted through the processes ensuring comfort. Patients who were particularly anxious, were able to have somebody familiar with them or arrange appointments for a quiet part of the day. Chaperones attended every appointment.

In the scanning room patients were covered as far as possible and not unduly exposed, and patients felt that their dignity was maintained. Staff were respectful to the patients, and we were given examples of how staff gave reassurance throughout appointments. Patients said staff treated them well and with kindness.

Staff followed policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential. We saw that staff were reminded to not openly discuss treatments in front of other patients in the waiting area. Patients confirmed even when clinics were busy, they were not made to feel a delay was their fault. For example, two women we spoke with attended for an appointment and scans were not possible due to the baby’s position. They were encouraged to go for a walk and return for a second scan. They felt that although this disrupted the lists, staff were happy to accommodate.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. Some women were accompanied by extended family and friends for gender reveal parties or scans. Staff were keen to accommodate these where possible.

Feedback was gathered through patient surveys and concerns were responded to. Online responses were reviewed and shared with the team at the monthly team meetings. Senior managers responded to feedback where necessary. Feedback was largely positive and praised staffs’ kindness. There were between 10-15 online responses monthly, and the only negative raised was around a delay in waiting times at the centre.

We reviewed 24 care plans and saw these were tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Records followed a template, but individual information was captured detailing the reason for scanning and as well as the results and actions to be taken.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people had choice and control over their own care and treatment.

The staff provided reassurance throughout the scan. Chaperones were encouraged to speak with the patient and sonographer to engage a conversation around the images and what they meant. Women told us that scans were not too lengthy, and staff explained what was happening and why.

For those patients demonstrating heightened anxiety, staff provided choice and control, enabling choice in who attended with them and time of appointments.

Women confirmed that staff did not push other available procedures at the service. One woman told us she requested a cheaper scan, due to financial restraints and felt that staff did not try to persuade her to spend money on anything else. The cost of the scan was agreed in advance which meant there was no additional anxiety about what it was going to cost.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern, or distress.

Patients could summon staff and were always accompanied during their appointment. Chaperones attended all appointments and there was receptions staff who maintained a presence in the waiting areas. This meant that someone was readily available to assist with any concerns or requests.

People who used mobility aids such as walking frames or crutches had them close by and were assisted to use them after their scan was completed. Mobility was discussed prior to attending and staff were able to provide ramps and additional support, as necessary.

Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. They were empathetic and considerate of the stress of a scanning environment. In the event of bad news, time was given to ensure patients knew the gravity of the concerns and what steps were needed. Staff always ensured safety and transfer to appropriate services. For example, one clinician reported calling an ambulance to ensure a woman attended hospital with a suspected ectopic pregnancy.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff had access to resources and facilities for safe working. This included being able to take breaks and arrange work around their home life. We were told that senior managers supported flexible working and staff were keen to support or cover any gaps. Appointment scheduling facilitated breaks and gave adequate time for appointments. Sonographers told us appointments usually ran to time, but if bad news or anomalies were found, sometimes they overran.

Staff were able to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences and could expect a response. We were told senior managers were open to ideas for improvement and encouraged discussions at team meetings. Staff felt listened to and supported. We were given examples of how senior managers attended the centre if problems arose and would help talk staff through any issues.

Staff felt valued by managers and their colleagues. Staff had opportunities to contribute to service development and were encouraged to participate in team meetings or give feedback. We spoke to staff who told us, senior managers always listened and were actively interested in the service and them as individuals. They supported staff with any difficulties and offered support if they were struggling with balancing home and work life.