Early Days Baby Scan Ltd

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

This means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

We looked for evidence that there was an inclusive and positive culture of continuous learning and improvement that was based on meeting the needs of people who used services and wider communities. We checked that leaders proactively supported staff and collaborated with partners to deliver care that was safe, integrated, person-centred and sustainable, and to reduce inequalities.

This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

We have not awarded this service a score for Well-led.

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

The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

Although the service did not have ambitions for growth, the provider demonstrated a clear and consistent vision for the future of the service. Their aim was to maintain a high-quality local provision rather than expand operations. This vision was understood by both staff and was reflected in the way the service was delivered.

The service was operated by two individuals who shared a clear vision for providing accessible and reassuring baby scanning services to people within the local community. Both described a commitment to delivering a personalised service and spoke positively about the importance of creating a welcoming, supportive, and professional experience for people attending appointments.

The provider told us they had no plans to expand or diversify the service and were satisfied with their current model of care. Their focus was on maintaining the quality of the service rather than pursuing growth. Staff demonstrated a shared understanding of the service's purpose and values, which centred on meeting people's needs, providing reassurance, and delivering a positive experience.

The small size of the service enabled consistent approaches to care and communication. Observations and discussions indicated that the provider were committed to sustaining a local service that reflected their values and met the needs of the community they served.

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The registered manager was also the scan practitioner providing the service and was ultimately accountable for the delivery of care. The business manager was responsible for administrative and operational functions. The service had been established following personal experience and a good understanding of the local demand for private ultrasound services.

Due to the size of the service, governance and leadership arrangements were informal but proportionate. Staff communicated regularly regarding the day-to-day operation of the service and were clear about their respective responsibilities. The registered manager maintained oversight of clinical practice, safeguarding, incidents, complaints and risk management.

Service continuity was dependent on the availability of the scan practitioner. During periods of absence, scanning services were temporarily suspended. This ensured only suitably qualified staff undertook clinical activities.

Governance and leadership arrangements were appropriate to the size and nature of the service.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Due to the small size of the service, there were just 2 colleagues within the workplace to raise concerns with. However, both individuals described an open and honest working relationship where they felt able to discuss concerns, challenge practice, and raise issues affecting people using the service.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, whistleblowing procedures, and how concerns could be escalated externally if required. They were aware of relevant agencies, including the local authority, CQC, and other professional bodies, should they feel unable to raise concerns internally.

Whilst having just 2 staff members might present challenges in maintaining professional objectivity, both staff explained that professional boundaries were maintained and that concerns relating to care quality, safety, or practice would be addressed promptly and escalated appropriately where necessary. This helped support a culture of openness and accountability within the service.

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them.

The workforce consisted of two staff members who demonstrated a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The service had an equality, diversity and inclusion policy in place and both staff had completed training to support their understanding of their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.

Staff were able to describe how they would meet the individual needs of people using the service and ensure care was delivered in a respectful and inclusive way. They demonstrated an awareness of protected characteristics and the importance of providing services without discrimination or bias.

The small workforce enabled a consistent approach to promoting equality and inclusion. The provider understood the importance of treating people fairly, respecting individual differences and ensuring people were able to access services free from discrimination.

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate.

The service had governance systems and processes appropriate to its size and scope. A risk register was maintained, and the registered manager had oversight of identified risks. Business continuity arrangements were in place to support the service in the event of equipment failure or staff sickness.

Policies and procedures were available to staff and most had been regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in practice, legislation and guidance.

Information governance arrangements supported the secure management of patient information. Staff understood their responsibilities regarding confidentiality and data security, and secure back-up systems were in place. The provider had reviewed its arrangements against GDPR requirements at the time of inspection and planned to update their website to advise clients that records were kept for 30 years.

The provider completed a programme of audits, including audits of waiting times, consent documentation, hand hygiene compliance and scan duration. This provided some oversight of key aspects of service delivery.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.

The service had close connections with local NHS early pregnancy and maternity units. Staff understood the scope of the service they provided and described how they would signpost people to appropriate NHS services where concerns were identified during scans or where additional support was required.

The registered manager told us the service had developed strong links within the local community since becoming established. They described how these relationships helped raise awareness of the service and supported expectant parents to access reassurance and information during pregnancy.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the wider maternity pathway and the importance of working alongside NHS services to support positive outcomes for people using the service. This helped to ensure people could access the right support at the right time when required.

The service recognised its role as a complementary service and actively encouraged people to engage with NHS maternity services alongside the scans provided.

The service focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.

The registered manager demonstrated a commitment to maintaining professional knowledge and skills relevant to the service provided. They undertook continuing professional development as both a registered midwife and scan practitioner and kept up to date with current practice and guidance.

The service followed guidance produced by the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) and reviewed policies and procedures to reflect changes in legislation, guidance and practice. This supported the delivery of care in line with current standards.

Opportunities for innovation were limited due to the size and nature of the service. However, the provider demonstrated a commitment to maintaining and improving the quality of the service through ongoing professional development and adherence to recognised professional guidance.