Window To The Womb Stoke

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

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks. Care met people' needs in a way which was safe and supportive and enabled them to do the things that mattered to them.

When people communicated their needs, emotions or distress, staff could manage this in a positive way which protects their rights and dignity and maximised learning for the future about the causes of their distress.

We looked for evidence that people were treated with kindness, empathy, and compassion. We assessed the levels of patient’s privacy and dignity afforded to people. We asked people 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 people wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

At our last assessment we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment it has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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 evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service was exceptional at treating patient with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected patient’s privacy and dignity.

Staff treated women with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs. Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for them. They took their time to interact with women and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way.

Staff supported women to manage their care and directed them to other services if required. They were given sufficient time to asks questions both before and after their scan.

Staff in the scanning room were able to give examples of how they had responded to women when things had not gone as planned.

We saw a privacy screen was available if needed in the scanning room and we observed privacy being maintained during scans.

Staff were respectful. Women said staff treated them well and with kindness and 1 patient we met had been so happy with the service had returned for their second pregnancy. Staff followed policy to keep women’s care and treatment confidential.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service treated women’s individuals and made sure care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. The service took account of women’s strengths, abilities, aspirations.

Women received an individual scanning report tailored to their personal circumstances. The detailed reports also included thank you letters for using the service and information such as placenta position.

Women were provided with additional information such as questions they may wish to ask the midwife and foods to avoid.

Women were able to select other languages on booking around consent. A laptop was available to support with other languages.

The clinic waiting area had lots of comfortable seating and the clinic room was set up so visitors were also comfortable when attending a scan. Information was displayed on notice boards and tv screens so they could see them clearly.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted women’s independence, so they knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Women were able to have up to 5 visitors with them at their appointment. All the women we spoke with had been able to bring along someone to support them.

The sonographer carrying out the scan fully explained the scan to the women; they allowed them sufficient time to ask any questions. Staff contacted women before their scan to ensure they had a full understanding of the process.

Women were able to book their own appointment slots through the Window To The Womb online booking system; they could also telephone if they wished. The online booking system gave the women control over the time and package they would like to book.

Women were able to browse the selection of packages available to them online. They provided various scanning packages such as early pregnancy scans, non-invasive prenatal testing and gender reveal scans. Women could also view short videos which explained what the process involved as well as having a 4D peek.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard The staff were exceptional in how they listened to and understood patient’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to patient’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff gave women and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. They were empathetic and considerate when caring out services.

We observed a staff member asking women if they wanted to know their baby's gender and then took all measures to ensure their decision was respected. If a woman wanted to keep the gender a secret, the sonographer would write the gender and put it in an envelope for a gender reveal.

There were also extras women could purchase around gender reveals, they also had keyrings and teddy bears with babies' heartbeat as a keepsake.

We heard examples of how staff had responded to unexpected situations and how they had acted to support women when they had received news that was distressing. For example, all staff worked together to support a person when bad news was received.

Staff told us how they would not leave women to walk alone through the building after receiving bad news but would walk with them to their transport.

We noted feedback mentioned how staff had supported a parents’ wishes for their older child to find out the babies’ gender before they did.

Staff received training in communicating bad news. Bad news was always broken in the scanning room not in public areas.

The evidence showed a good standard.The service 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.

Staff were able to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences and could expect a response.

Staff felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. Staff had opportunities to contribute to service development. We saw how one staff members idea had been implemented around adding to the notice board information on gestational time scans.