Window to the Womb is operated by Baby Scans UK Ltd. The service provides diagnostic imaging for women aged 16 and above. It is registered to provide the regulated activity of diagnostic and screening procedures.
We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We gave the service 24 hours notice and carried out the announced inspection on 8 October 2019.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led? Where we have a legal duty to do so we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.
Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Services we rate
We have not previously inspected this service. We rated it as Good overall.
The service had enough staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep people safe from avoidable harm and to provide the right care.
Managers appraised staff’s work performance annually and checked to make sure staff had the right qualifications and professional registration for their roles.
Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse and the service worked well with other agencies to do so.
Women could access services and appointments in a way and a time that suited them. The service used technology innovatively to ensure women had timely access to ultrasound scans.
The service provided care and treatment based on national guidance.
Managers monitored the effectiveness of care and treatment and used the findings to improve them.
The service treated concerns and complaints seriously. If a complaint received the registered manager would complete a comprehensive investigation and share lessons learnt with all staff.
Staff were caring, compassionate, kind and engaged well with women and their families.
Staff worked well together, supported and respected each other.
Heidi Smoult
Chief Inspector of Hospitals (Central region)