MYM Tamworth

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

We looked for evidence that women were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We assessed the levels of privacy and dignity afforded to women. We asked women to tell us about their experiences, if they were respected, if they understood that they and their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take women’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

This is the first assessment of this service. At this inspection we rated caring as good.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

The service 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 were discreet and responsive when caring for women. Staff took time to interact with women and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way. Women were greeted in a friendly and professional manner when attending the studio. The team went out of their way to make women, and their families feel comfortable and did not pressurise them into unnecessary appointments or purchases.

Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for women and their families. They reviewed booking information to ensure they had sensitive information such as previous miscarriage before they carried out the scan. Staff took their time with women and all women we spoke with felt their privacy and dignity was maintained. Women told us staff checked they were happy for information to be shared with family members or chaperones attending the appointment before disclosing any information. Women said staff treated them well and with kindness.

Staff followed MYM policies to keep patient care and treatment information confidential. We were given examples of when women wanted to keep information to themselves and not share with ex partners or extended families. Staff gave examples of how they protected information, using passwords, never giving details out over the phone and referring to confirmation emails for details when necessary.

We saw staff give clear explanations to people attending for both pregnancy scans and for blood tests. Women told us staff explained what they were doing throughout the appointment and they understood what was happening. Sonographers provided reassurance in a balanced way, ensuring women understood the importance of having their NHS scans.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of women and how they may relate to care needs. Staff were inclusive and provided support as needed. We saw staff offer advice and discussed differences between scans and packages enabling women and their families to make informed decisions. Women were able to be accompanied by friends and family.

Privacy and dignity was maintained throughout appointments, with covers provided and no entry to scanning rooms permitted during appointments. The staff provided reassurance throughout appointments and ensured women were comfortable throughout. 

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of women and how they related to care needs. They were understanding and displayed a non-judgmental attitude when caring for or discussing women with additional needs. We saw staff spoke sensitively about women attending the studio, particularly those who were given bad news. Staff responded well to people’s questions and concerns, and we saw they acted quickly when someone needed reassurance or support. 

Staff placed value on making each appointment an individualised experience according to the needs of the person and reasons for booking. For example, we saw open discussions with individuals about how they would like a gender to be revealed. 

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The service website clearly detailed the different scans and blood tests available. Costs were clear, along with what was included within each type of appointment. The service was clear that the appointments offered were in addition to the NHS routine scans and appointments. 

People were supported throughout their contact with MYM Tamworth from initial booking and within the appointment to understand the scan process and results. Information was given verbally, reinforced with leaflets and on posters in the scan room ensuring awareness. We saw that staff informed women of their choice to stop the scan at any time.

Women told us they were very satisfied with the care and treatment they received and the staff who provided it. They felt involved, and staff took their time to explain what would happen during their scan and any outcomes. Women we spoke to said they could ask questions, staff listened to them and were happy to answer any questions they had. They had been kept informed and felt able to raise any concerns. Staff checked understanding and choices prior to appointments.

The service did not provide chaperones and women were informed of this prior to their appointment which gave women sufficient time to arrange chaperones if they wished. Staff told us most women were accompanied to appointments by friends or family.

Women and their families were able to choose their own image/s for their keepsake, which meant they were not disappointed with the quality of scans provided. Samples of scans, such as 3D or 4D were displayed in the reception area, which meant women could see what each scan type meant before purchasing their package.

The service 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.

The MYM referrals policy outlined actions to be taken when an abnormality was seen. The policy also provided guidance for staff on how to communicate with sensitivity and empathy. Most staff had received national bereavement pathway training to enable them to support a woman where there may be a loss and staff were clear this was used to ensure they managed the situation sensitively and compassionately and not to diagnose. 

Staff identified and responded to the changing needs of women using the service. We saw that women were encouraged to make informed decisions and when bad news was broken, and they were supported to access other specialist services. We saw a referral to the NHS service of choice and how the information was shared enabling swift action. Women who received bad news from blood testing, Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) were provided with counselling support from the partner company responsible for the testing.

Staff supported women who became distressed in an open environment and helped them maintain their privacy and dignity. Staff had training in breaking bad news and knew when to give women time to adjust to information. We saw one woman referred herself to the studio for a scan as she suspected a problem with the pregnancy and could not see her midwife for a few days. Staff were respectful when discussing the choice of scan, and consent. After the appointment, the referral was made to the midwife and the woman supported to contact the NHS provider of choice to discuss the anomaly identified. 

When appointments overran, due to complications or breaking bad news, staff openly communicated the reasons for delay and apologised.

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

Staff felt respected, supported and valued. There had been changes to the service leadership in the six months preceding the inspection and all staff had felt this was for the better. We were told, managers were inclusive and enabling, offering opportunities for development.

Staff felt positive and proud about working for the provider and their team. All staff spoken with had worked for the organisation for multiple years, and “loved” their jobs. Throughout the inspection, staff were jovial, chatting with each other and engaging with the public. 

Staff had access to resource and facilities for safe working. This included being able to take breaks and time was blocked to enable sufficient time away from work. Display screen equipment (DSE) assessments were carried out to ensure who were scanning and using computers for long periods had equipment required to maintain their health and wellbeing long term.

We were given multiple examples of how staff had developed roles, such as moving from an admin role to become a sonographer, or manager for one or more studio to being the operations manager. Staff told us the development opportunities were supported by senior leaders and promoted dedication and flexibility. Developments were discussed at appraisals and plans put in place to support staff to achieve them. The service also provided staff incentives to improve performance which created a healthy competition across all studios.

Staff had access to personalised support which recognised the diversity of a workforce with initiative-taking and reactive measures. For example, the service celebrated religious events such as Diwali and Eid. 

The provider and local leaders ensured staff with protected characteristics felt included and respected within the service. For example, staff provided examples of reasonable adjustments made to support protected characteristics and examples of managers being flexible with family life and work life balance. We were given examples of where senior manages had offered alternatives when staff circumstances changed, enabling flexible working, changes to role or location.

Sonographers were provided with peer support and regular supervision. Staff considered this to be supportive and found it invaluable in developing their skills.