Window to the Womb

On this page

• 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

This means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we did not rate this key question. This key question has been rated 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 service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

The service had clear admission criteria to ensure it was able to meet people's needs safely and effectively. The service did not accept referrals for children under the age of 16. There were also clear eligibility criteria relating to pregnancy, with scans only offered to pregnant individuals who were within the appropriate gestational window for the specific scan being requested.

Staff gathered relevant information during the booking process to assess whether the service was suitable for each person. This helped ensure individuals received the correct scan at the appropriate stage of pregnancy and enabled staff to identify when referrals to alternative services or healthcare providers were required. The admission and assessment processes supported safe and effective care and treatment.

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

The service delivered care and treatment in accordance with current guidance and best practice. Staff had access to up-to-date policies and procedures, and we saw notice boards displaying relevant guidance and summaries of key policies to support staff in their day-to-day roles. Regular audits were completed to monitor compliance and identify opportunities for improvement, helping to ensure care was delivered consistently and safely.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the limitations of the service and ensured people were referred to appropriate NHS pathways when further assessment, diagnosis, or treatment was required. The service had a documented escalation process for managing abnormal findings identified during appointments, which helped ensure timely and appropriate action was taken. The registered manager told us that regular peer reviews of sonographers work were undertaken to promote quality, maintain professional standards, and support consistency in the delivery of care and treatment.

The service worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

The service was supported by a small team, and staff spoke positively about working together to provide a consistent service for people. Staff told us communication within the team was effective and that they felt well supported by the registered manager, who was accessible and available to provide guidance when needed. The service formed part of a larger franchise network, which enabled learning, best practice, and information to be shared across locations to support continuous improvement and consistency in service delivery.

Staff understood the importance of working collaboratively with other professionals and services to ensure people received appropriate care. Where concerns were identified, or where people required additional support, referrals were made to relevant healthcare providers and agencies.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduced their future needs for care and support.

The service provided people with information and resources to support them in maintaining healthy pregnancies and making informed decisions about their care. A range of health promotion posters and information materials were displayed throughout the service, covering topics relevant to pregnancy and wellbeing. People were also provided with booklets containing information and advice on maintaining their health during pregnancy.

The service offered further information both on-site and through its website about the scans available, helping people to understand the purpose of different appointments and what to expect.

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 service had systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of care provided. Quality assurance checks were completed on scans undertaken by the sonographer, and these were subject to regular peer review. This helped to provide assurance that scans were being performed consistently, accurately, and in line with expected standards.

Monitoring systems were also in place for people with identified risks to ensure appropriate action could be taken when required. The registered manager maintained oversight of these processes and used quality monitoring activities to identify opportunities for learning and improvement, helping to support positive outcomes for people using the service. As part of appointments, the sonographer completed wellbeing checks to monitor the health and wellbeing of the woman and baby.

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

The service sought consent at different stages of the patient journey. Consent was initially obtained during the booking process and was sought again before any procedure was carried out. This helped to ensure people remained informed and were given the opportunity to ask questions before receiving care and treatment.

Staff explained procedures, expectations, and any relevant information in a clear and understandable way so people knew what they were consenting to. We saw evidence of this in records reviewed and during discussions with staff, who demonstrated an understanding of the importance of obtaining informed consent and respecting people's right to make decisions about their care.