Fetal Medicine UK at Hempstead Therapy Centre Also known as Fetal Medicine UK at Hempstead Therapy Centre

Updated 28 June 2022

Fetal Medicine UK at Hempstead Therapy Centre is operated by Dr David Gerard Penman. The service opened in February 2022. The service provides pregnancy ultrasound examinations and non-invasive pregnancy testing to self-funding women in Gillingham, Kent and surrounding areas.

Dr David Gerard Penman is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and fetal medicine specialist, providing a range of baby scans. This includes viability/reassurance, gender, early and late growth, wellbeing and anomaly scans with the options for 3D and 4D imaging.

Dr Penman is the registered manager for the service. Dr Penman was also the sonographer and has responsibilities for the oversight and day to day running of the clinics. He performs all the scans himself and employed one full-time personal assistant.

The service occupies one large room on the ground floor within a unit, situation in a shopping centre that is hosted by another independent business; the room is dedicated for ultrasound scans only. The main entrance to the unit had a reception area that sits opposite the scan room.

The location is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures

A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The service has had a registered manager since February 2022.

This location registered with the Care Quality Commission in February 2022 and this is its first inspection. We carried out a planned comprehensive short notice announced inspection on 17 May 2022 to make sure we had access to the service and key staff.

Services provided under service level agreement included:

• Clinical and non-clinical waste management

• Maintenance and service of medical equipment

Updated 28 June 2022

We rated this location as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for women and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect women from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to women, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care to women and kept women comfortable during scans. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of women and had access to patient information. Key services were available six days a week and extended days when required.
• Staff treated women with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to women and families.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of women’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for a scan.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of women receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with women to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

Updated 28 June 2022

We rated this service as good because it was safe, caring, responsive and well-led. We do not currently rate effective in diagnostic imaging.

Details in overall summary section.