First Choice Ultrasound is operated by First Choice Ultrasound Limited. The service provides ultrasound baby imaging for pregnant women from the gestation of seven weeks. This includes, four dimensional (4D), three dimensional (3D) and two dimensional (2D) scans starting from seven to eight weeks as reassurance, gender scans from 16 weeks, baby growth scans from 16 weeks, “baby bonding” scans from 27 weeks and keep sake scans.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the short-announced inspection on 26 January 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

This was the first time we have rated this service. We rated it as Good overall.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• Staff completed mandatory training and were aware of their responsibilities associated with safeguarding. They were competent for the role and had the appropriate skills and training.

• The environment was appropriate for the procedures completed and infection control measures were in place.

• Records were kept securely and copies provided to people using the services.

• Care and treatment were provided against national guidance and was evidence based.

• People were treated with compassion and privacy. They were involved in the consultation and provided with emotional support.

• The service accommodated people’s individual needs and were responsive. Appointment times were agreed by the service and people using the service.

• There was a positive culture at the service and they had a vision of what they wanted to achieve.

• They engaged well with people to plan and manage the service and were committed to improving learning.

However, we also found the following issues that the service provider needs to improve:

• The service did not always have systems in place to improve service quality and standards of care. They did not have policies in place such as mental capacity policy and did not always review policies to ensure they contained the most up to date and relevant information.

• The service was aware of risks but did not have a system in place to document them. This included recording of any incidents, accidents or risks to the service.

Following this inspection, we told the provider that it must take some actions to comply with the regulations and that it should make some improvements, even though a regulation had not been breached, to help the service improve. We also issued the provider with one requirement notice. Details are at the end of the report.

Name of signatory

Ellen Armisted

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (North)