Window To The Womb Stoke

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• 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 women and communities had the best possible outcomes because their needs were assessed. We checked that care, support and treatment reflected these needs ensuring women 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 assessment this key question was not rated. At this assessment the rating is good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

We have not awarded this service a score for Effective.

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

The evidence showed a good standard. The service made sure women’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Staff assessed women’s needs. Scans were planned and delivered in line with evidence-based, guidance, standards and best practice.

Staff assisted women into comfortable positions for imaging wherever possible. Women had access to drinking water as needed or required.

We reviewed 4 women’s records which included scanning summaries and reports. The reports were detailed and contained necessary information and conclusions.

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

Staff followed up-to-date policies to plan and deliver high quality care according to best practice and national guidance.

All policies were up to date with a review date, and clear references to current national guidelines. We saw notice boards displaying up to date guidance to staff.

Staff gathered relevant information through the booking process which enabled them to discuss and assess any women’s care and treatment.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service worked well across teams and services to support women. They made sure women only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when they moved between different services.

Sonographers and other staff worked together as a team to benefit women. They supported each other to provide good care.

Staff reported healthy working relationships across staff groups. We saw and heard examples of effective team working which was based on mutual respect and trust.

Staff worked across health care disciplines and with other agencies when required to care for women. For example, staff spoke of good relationships with the local hospitals and said GPs would recommend them.

If sonographers identified concerns from scans, they escalated them to the local hospital. This ensured staff could share necessary information about the women and provide holistic care.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service supported women to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported women to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

The service understood the importance of and promoted a healthy pregnancy. Health promotion information was readily available throughout the person’s journey.

Information was also provided on a new service provided by Window To The Womb. The service, instant midwife, had answers to the most common questions asked by expectant women and was available on social media.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service routinely monitored people’s care and treatment 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 registered manager carried out a regular programme of audit in which they had received full compliance. We heard examples of shared learning from another site and that the sonographer and registered manager had visited other sites to share learning.

Staff provided proactive calls to certain groups to ensure they understood the service booked, that it was correct for their needs, to check they were following the correct intervals for scans as well as to explain any recommendations pre arrival, and provide an opportunity for them to ask questions and if needed to reschedule their appointment. These included early pregnancy customers who were expected to be less than 7 weeks pregnant all 4D customers and growth scan customers.

In the case of women with an ectopic pregnancy staff would call an ambulance and then follow up with a telephone call 7 days later to check they had received the care they needed.

The nominated individual attended biannual meetings as well as a 2-day conference as a brand. This enabled leaders to meet and network with other brand members and the opportunity to improve women’s outcomes.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff supported women to make informed decisions about their care and treatment. Women were able to click other languages on booking around consent. A laptop was available in the clinic to support with other languages.

Women were provided with information on terms and conditions of the scanning service, as well as information about their scan report.

Staff gained consent from women for their care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance.

Women were able to request a same sex health care professional if they wished; this was provided whenever possible. Staff received chaperone training and chaperones were always provided.

Information on the scanning process was available to women online such as what they should do before, for example having a full bladder or a snack and wearing comfortable clothing.