BPAS - Stratford upon Avon

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

The service planned and provided treatment in a way that met the needs of local people and the communities served. It also worked with others in the wider system, including primary healthcare and local organisations to plan care.

The service was inclusive and took account of patients’ individual needs and preferences. Staff made reasonable adjustments to help patients access services.

During our assessment, we found the clinic and waiting area clean and well-maintained, with sufficient seating to accommodate all the patients who were attending.

Patients could access the service when they needed it and received the right treatment.

The service was in an area with several types of transport, including train, bus and tram service. Car parking was located at the clinic.

It was easy for people to give feedback and raise concerns about the treatment received. The service treated concerns and complaints seriously, investigated them and shared lessons learned with all staff.

Detailed and current information about patients’ needs and wishes was available to staff to ensure patients received the support they required. The service ensured patients experienced as little discomfort as possible during the termination process.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment, the rating has improved to good. This meant patients’ needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

We have not awarded this service a score for Responsive.

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

The service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

The service provided person-focused care with patients placed at the centre of the service. Patients were central in decisions about their treatment and were given opportunities to express their views and be involved in making decisions about the procedure they would be undertaking.

Patients described care that was responsive to their physical, personal and emotional needs because staff had time to listen to them and understand their wishes and preferences. One patient told us they felt well supported by staff, who listened to their concerns, answered questions and provided reassurance during a period of anxiety.

As part of our assessment, we observed a post termination discussion with the patient and their partner and saw staff had positive relationship with them.

Arrangements were in place for patients who required ongoing procedural care. Following discharge, patients who had undergone an abortion were provided with the clinic contact details and the 24-hour helpline number.

Patients were given a comprehensive discharge pack which included written information, condoms and a pregnancy test.

The My BPAS information booklet gave comprehensive information about what to expect post termination and contact numbers for the aftercare line and the clinic. Patients were advised to call the aftercare line if they had certain specific symptoms, including fever.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

The service worked effectively with people and healthcare partners to support continuity of care. Women who chose to continue their pregnancy were advised to contact their General Practitioner and access maternity services, with referrals made to community midwives where appropriate. Staff told us all cases of continuing teenage pregnancy were referred to specialist teenage pregnancy midwifery teams to support ongoing care and safeguarding.

Staff worked collaboratively with a range of external partners including General Practitioners, community midwives, safeguarding teams, social care services and local National Health Service providers. Clear pathways were in place for emergency transfer to local hospitals when required and staff understood the arrangements for escalation and transfer of care.

Patients received comprehensive information to support continuity of care following treatment. All patients were provided with discharge information, aftercare advice and details of how to access support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Patients were advised to contact the aftercare service if they experienced symptoms such as fever, heavy bleeding or other concerns following treatment. Staff operating the aftercare service used recognised assessment tools, including sepsis screening guidance, and could escalate patients to urgent or emergency healthcare services where required.

Records demonstrated that relevant information was shared securely with other healthcare professionals, with patient consent, to support safe and effective ongoing care. Electronic records supported timely communication between services and helped ensure patients only needed to provide information once.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Patients using the service, and the people that matter to them, could access the information they needed, in a way they understood.

The service had an accessible information policy, this ensured disabled patients and patients with impairments or sensory loss could access and understand information and receive the communication support they need to use the service.

The service had an interpreter policy which included how the service use spoken language interpreters, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, and information translated into other languages or alternative formats to meet individual communication needs.

Translation services were available for people whose first language was not English. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of how to access interpretation services and told us these could be arranged by telephone when needed. We observed telephone interpretation services being available and in use during a medical termination consultation. A medical termination uses medicine to end a pregnancy, whereas a surgical termination involves a procedure carried out by a clinician.

There was a ‘select language’ section on the service website which translated all the information into the chosen language.

There was an extensive number of information leaflets available for people to explain the treatment that were available and those they could receive.

Patients were provided with appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information at all stages of their treatment. We observed relevant information being shared between staff during a staff huddle meeting.

Patient information, such as medical records, were stored in line with data protection and legislation requirements.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

It was easy for people to give feedback and raise concerns about care received. The service treated concerns and complaints seriously, investigated them and shared lessons learned with all staff. The service included patients in the investigation of their complaint. Staff understood the policy on complaints and knew how to handle them.

Patients and relatives knew how to complain or raise concerns. The service clearly displayed information about how to provide feedback in patient areas. The information was also available on the BPAS website and in the ‘My BPAS’ booklet.

Complaint records were reviewed as part of our assessment. Data showed there were no formal complaints and one local complaint between January and June 2026. Complaints were managed in line with the service policy and learning was shared through governance processes.

Staff and managers had followed the complaints policy and process to respond to the concerns raised. Further information was sent to patient if they had not been satisfied with the outcome and explained the next steps for them to take.

Patients were encouraged to provide feedback after their treatment appointment by completing the Friends and Family test. Data showed the service received 100% positive feedback from patients for May and June 2025 and 95% positive feedback for April 2025.

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

Everyone who used the service received the care, support and treatment they needed when they need it regardless of any protected characteristics.

Everyone who used the service received the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it, regardless of any protected characteristics. The organisation's vision was to remove barriers to accessing reproductive healthcare and provide high-quality, person-centred care. Appointments were available seven days a week and patient choice was prioritised. The service provided support with travel, accommodation and transport costs where required. Interpreter services, including British Sign Language support, were available to patients who needed them.

The clinic was situated on the ground floor, providing easy access for patients. Accessible toilet facilities and on-site parking were available. The service was clearly signposted, supporting patients in navigating to the clinic without difficulty.

If patients wanted to be seen by a clinician of a specific gender, they were referred to an alternative regional clinic if this was not available at this location on the day of their appointment.

Managers worked to keep the number of cancelled appointments to a minimum. When patients had their appointments cancelled at the last minute, managers made sure they were rearranged as soon as possible.

National guidance from the Department of Health & Social Care Procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy (abortion) in England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) recommends initial contact to consultation appointment should be within 7 days and completion of treatment should take place within 7 days of the consultation appointment.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

We observed all patients had equal access to care. The service considered patients’ individual needs, this included culture, age, disabilities and extra requirements, this enabled the service to put in any additional support required. For example, staff told us patients were able to bring someone with them for support if required, however, if they did not bring anyone with them but required support in their appointment this could be supported with a chaperone.

The service provided care and treatment to both patients paying privately and having their appointment through the NHS. Staff monitored waiting times for the service and had clear action plans to ensure they met their required waiting times.

Staff told us when a patient booked their appointment, a discussion would take place with the patient to identify if they require any additional support such as translation service.

Patients were given appropriate information prior to their first consultation containing material such as the length of time of the initial consultation and written information on the medical terminations.

Patients could book their appointment online, visit or ring the service, enabling them to choose an appointment time that suited their needs. Patients confirmed a good availability of appointments at times that suited them.

The clinics we observed ran to schedule. Staff told us if there were delays, they would speak to patients and keep them informed.

The service had processes and policies which ensured patients were treated in line with legislative requirements and The Human Rights Act.

Staff received training in equality, diversity and inclusion and service training records demonstrated all staff were up to date with this training.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Patients were supported to plan for the future, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions.

Contraception was routinely discussed with patients and those choosing to seek further support or treatment from their GP.

Screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) chlamydia, human immunodeficiency virus HIV, Syphilis and gonorrhoea was offered to all patients.

There were suitable systems to ensure safe transfer and accessibility of patient records if a patient needed to be transferred to another service for their treatment.