Window to the Womb

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

This means we looked for evidence that the service 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.

We looked for evidence that people were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked that people’s privacy and dignity was respected, that 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 people’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

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 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, respectful and responsive, providing patients with help, emotional support, and advice. There was a chaperone in place to support patients and their partners. Patients said staff treated them well and they felt reassured about their care. Staff understood the individual needs of patients, including their personal, cultural, social, and religious needs. Staff maintained the confidentiality of information about patients, and used secure electronic systems for patient records.

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.

The service made adjustments for patients who had a disability or mobility needs, for example by ensuring the clinic was easily accessible with step-free access. The service met the specific communication needs of patients, such as Braille and easy-read formats of leaflets that were available for patients if required. Patients could also request large-font size scan reports if required. Staff ensured that patients could obtain information on treatments, local services, the rights of patients and how to complain. This information was on display at the service.

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 gave patients leaflets about their care and promoted wellbeing to expectant mothers and birthing people, and signposted patients to local NHS trusts, if patients had any concerns and needed further advice.

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 service had an emergency policy in place, which outlined the key actions that staff were required to take in emergency situations including the need to contact ambulance services for ectopic pregnancy diagnoses and obstetric emergencies. Staff were trained to act promptly and professionally to ensure patient safety and compliance.

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

Staff told us they felt respected, supported, and valued. They came together to discuss any concerns, including between sonography staff. The service had an anonymised wellbeing survey that staff were encouraged to complete, on a six-monthly basis, which helped the service identify common themes and take appropriate action where required. There were annual staff appraisals which included conversations about career development and how staff could be supported.