For a high-quality pregnancy scan experience, your sonographer needs to be properly trained and registered.
A sonographer is a medical professional who uses ultrasound imaging equipment to scan and capture images of different parts of the body. For example, during pregnancy, a sonographer can perform an ultrasound scan on the mother’s tummy to check on her baby’s development.
As the demand for ultrasound scans continues to rise, we’re seeing more and more people enter this field and offer private baby scan experiences at competitive prices. Unfortunately, not all of these people are appropriately trained or registered to carry out ultrasound scans. This can result in heartbreaking outcomes for expectant parents who pay for a private scan and get terrible low-grade images, or worse, the sonographer misses important information regarding their baby’s health.
Are First Encounters’ Sonographers Registered?
Here at First Encounters, all of our sonographers are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, the regulator for health professionals throughout the UK. In order to become registered with the HCPC, prospective sonographers must meet the Council’s standards for training, behaviour, health, hygiene and professional skills.
We only employ registered healthcare professionals who are qualified in sonography and have many years of experience carrying out obstetric ultrasounds in the NHS and/or the private sector. Sadly, many of the 4D ultrasound scan packages currently on the market are NOT carried out by registered healthcare professionals, which means potential complications with your pregnancy could go undetected and other dangerous mistakes could be made.
Are All Sonographers Registered?
While all of our sonographers are registered, there are unfortunately many unregulated ultrasound clinics in the UK. The below quote from our sonography expert and managing director Warren Boulton sheds some light on this situation.
"Unfortunately there are lots of unreliable scan providers operating in the UK right now, but we're doing everything we can to demonstrate that we are a trustworthy ultrasound clinic that offers an outstanding service for parents-to-be. All of our sonographers are registered with the HCPC, and while clinics in Wales are not regulated in the same way as those across the border, we strive to meet the same standards that the CQC demands of clinics in England."
- Warren Boulton (Managing Director, First Encounters Ultrasound)
Does Wales Have Different Regulations for Sonography?
The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) does not currently regulate diagnostic and screening activities in Wales in the same way that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) does in England. We are based in Wales, not England, but it is still our policy to ensure that all of our scans conform to the very highest industry standards.
This means that if you visit our ultrasound clinic in Cardiff, you can expect every part of your scan experience to reflect the standards enforced by the CQC in England.
So, don’t be taken in by the new, unregistered ultrasound clinics that are popping up all over the UK. Instead, find a clinic you can trust—one that has you and your baby’s best interests in mind. Contact First Encounters today or use the link below to book your pregnancy scan.
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