Archived: Baby Ultrasound Clinic Wakefield

Updated 1 July 2022

Baby Ultrasound Clinic Wakefield is privately operated by Baby Ultrasound Clinic Wakefield Limited and registered with the Care Quality Commission in 2020. The service has had a registered manager in place since initial registration.

The service provides a range of diagnostic ultrasound scans in 2D, 3D and 4D during pregnancy, keepsakes and gender reveal souvenirs. The service provides scans for women aged 16 years and over and serves both the local community and patients from outside the area.

It is registered to provide the regulated activity of diagnostic and screening procedures.

The service employs two sonographers and a receptionist.

Updated 1 July 2022

We carried out a comprehensive inspection of this service on the 17 May 2022, as the service had not been inspected previously. At this inspection we found significant safety concerns across all domains in which we regulate. Due to the concerns, we used our powers under Section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to take immediate urgent enforcement action and suspended the service. This action prevented the provider from undertaking activity which put people at risk and to make immediate improvements to governance and oversight. The principles we use when rating providers requires CQC to reflect enforcement action in our ratings. The conditions we imposed have limited the rating of the safe and well-led key questions to a rating of inadequate. This means the provider has been rated as inadequate overall.

We rated it as inadequate because:

• The service did not provide mandatory training in key skills. Staff did not have the appropriate accredited safeguarding training or know how to recognise and report abuse.
• The service did not control infection risk well and some equipment was visibly dirty.
• Staff did not always identify, complete or escalate relevant risks for woman using the service.
• Staff did not always keep detailed records of women who used the service, care and procedures. Some records were illegible.
• The service did not have a clear process for the management of incidents. Staff were not trained in how to recognise and report incidents and near misses.
• The service did not provide staff with access to the most up-to-date best practice guidelines and managers did not check to make sure staff followed guidance.
• The service did not collect any outcome data or monitor the effectiveness of care.
• The service did not make sure staff were competent for their roles.
• Staff did not always give women who used the service practical support and advice to lead healthier lives.
• Staff did not receive training in how to support women to make informed decisions about their care and did not always understand how to appropriately gain consent for their care and treatment.
• The service was not inclusive and did not always take account of women using the service individual needs and preferences.
• Staff were not trained on how to provide emotional support to women who were distressed.
• Complaints were not appropriately investigated and actions were not always taken to prevent similar complaints happening.
• Leaders did not always demonstrate that they had the skills and abilities to run the service and did not operate effective governance processes.
• Leaders and staff did not always discuss and learn from the performance of the service.
• Leaders did not always have systems to manage performance effectively. They did not always identify and escalate relevant risks and issues and identify actions to improve the service.
• We saw no examples of continuous learning and improvement of the service.

Updated 1 July 2022

Please see the summary above.