Supporting Safe Standards in Ultrasound

We recognise the serious concerns raised by the Society of Radiographers (SoR) regarding unregistered sonographers and the danger they pose to mothers and unborn babies. We also agree that tighter regulations need to be in place to protect the title of ‘sonographer’ and prevent non-specialists from offering ultrasound scans. However, it is important to emphasise that these examples are not representative of the standards or practices upheld by the majority of responsible, regulated private providers.

At Ultrasound Direct, we put client safety at the forefront of every decision we make and strive to provide a better diagnostic experience for the people who visit our clinics.

Our business was founded by Jan and Mike Steward in 1998, who both put safety and care as paramount importance when building Ultrasound Direct. Jan brought her expertise and care to the business as an NHS sonographer and Mike brought technical experience as an ultrasound engineer.

Since then, we’ve grown to over 70 clinics providing pregnancy scans, diagnostic ultrasound scans, blood tests and fertility services. All our scans are performed by fully qualified and registered sonographers and have relevant NHS or accredited private sector experience.

Our clinical protocols align with national safety standards, including referral procedures for unexpected findings and policies on informed consent and safeguarding.

We provide clear information to clients about the purpose and limitations of reassurance or bonding scans, and we ensure they understand that our services are complementary to, not a replacement for, NHS antenatal screening.

Following the announcement from the SoR, we would welcome clearer national regulation to protect both patients and reputable private clinics. We’d also argue for tighter regulations on the sale of ultrasound machines and diagnostics-excluded-insurance for healthcare amateurs. If such standards could be implemented and regulated, reputable private clinics could continue to provide the same excellent standard of care and prevent ‘cowboy clinics’ from operating and damaging public confidence.

There is a huge crossover of staff that work within both the NHS and private ultrasound clinics and we see this first hand with a lot of our staff. This isn’t an NHS vs private sector issue, it’s about having protocols to protect patient safety across all healthcare settings. The focus should remain on professionalism, safety and accountability regardless of where care is provided. 

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