Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah McGrath, Ofsted Inspector

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Address:

Prestwich Hospital New Bury Road Prestwich Manchester M25 3BL Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Providers newly directly funded to deliver apprenticeship training provision’ and ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of these visits is on the three themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has approximately 5,000 members of staff delivering in-patient, community and specialist mental health services to 53,000 service users in 130 locations across the north west.

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Context and focus of visit

GMMH became an apprenticeship provider in 2016. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 91 apprentices all of whom were employed by the trust. Just over half of apprentices are on programmes in health and social care at levels 2 and 3. The remainder are completing programmes in customer services, business administration and leadership and management at levels 2, 3 and 5. GMMH currently runs both framework apprenticeships and standards-based apprenticeships. The first cohort of apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships are due to complete their programmes in September 2019.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have developed and implemented a highly successful strategy for apprenticeship provision. The strategy is well planned and leaders and managers have thought it through carefully and extensively. Directed by senior leaders, the strategy is forward thinking and has a strong focus on succession planning. The strategy is highly successful in filling current skills gaps. For example, apprentices gain promotion while on programme or progress to higher-level programmes. Managers rightly place a high priority on the development of new skills of existing employees. This enables apprentices to be more effective in their roles and prepares them to progress to higher-level roles. For example, support and recovery workers on a level 3 senior health care worker apprenticeship have developed their skills sufficiently to gain promotion to recovery coordinators. Managers recruit apprentices who are new to the trust to existing vacancies in clinical and non-clinical roles. Many

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Significant progress

apprentices take on extra responsibilities within their roles and, as a result, progress Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018 through the National Health Service (NHS) job ‘bands’. For example, senior health care worker apprentices have moved from band three roles to band five roles because of the knowledge, skills and behaviours acquired on their apprenticeships.

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Significant progress

Senior leaders involve themselves fully in the planning and monitoring of apprenticeship provision in the trust. A board member, with lead responsibility for apprenticeship provision, provides highly effective support and rigorous challenge to the apprenticeship team. Leaders set challenging targets. The board and the workforce development committee monitor progress towards these targets very closely. Consequently, the board has an exact and detailed oversight of the apprenticeship programme. Current apprentices attend board meetings to share their experience of the apprenticeship programme and how it supports their career development. This proves highly effective in giving board members an enhanced understanding of the provision.

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Significant progress

The highly effective involvement of apprentices’ line managers in the planning, development and implementation of apprenticeship programmes ensures that they recruit apprentices with integrity. Leaders and managers skilfully assess the suitability of potential apprentices before they apply to join an apprenticeship programme. Line managers provide supporting statements identifying the skills, knowledge and behaviours apprentices will gain on the apprenticeship. As a result, managers place apprentices on to the correct level of programme.

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Significant progress

Apprentices, their line manager and the apprenticeship coordinator plan a highly individualised learning plan. The plan includes all aspects of the apprentice’s training and development. Consequently, all apprentices receive high-quality on and off-the- job training that includes job shadowing. This is highly effective in enabling apprentices to develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. For example, apprentices develop good research skills as they complete job-specific projects.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have an extremely good understanding of apprenticeship frameworks and apprenticeship standards. They plan programmes well to meet the requirements of both. Managers monitor apprentices’ progress towards milestones of standards-based apprenticeships very closely. As a result of carefully planned induction activities, apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships have a particularly good understanding of what the end-point assessment entails. Consequently, apprentices have a detailed understanding of what they need to do to achieve a pass, merit or distinction grade.

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Significant progress

Managers track the progress of apprentices and groups of apprentices skilfully and accurately. They identify quickly any apprentices that are at risk of falling behind. They take rapid action to support apprentices to catch up with their work. Frequent team and one-to-one staff meetings highlight and address concerns. For example, staff highlighted that attendance at taught sessions was low. Following intervention by the apprenticeship coordinator, attendance has increased significantly. Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018 Apprentices benefit greatly from highly experienced and knowledgeable tutors and programme coordinators. Tutors provide innovative and high-quality teaching and learning sessions. Managers support learning coaches very well to develop and improve their own teaching skills. Managers critically and accurately appraise the quality of training. All teaching and learning staff take part in well planned and

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Significant progress

extremely successful peer observation and review. These ensure the consistent sharing of good practice and standardisation across apprenticeship programmes.

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Significant progress

The quality of advice and guidance provided to apprentices is excellent. This enables them to plan for their short-, medium- and long-term futures. Local partnerships, that staff manage very carefully, extend the progression routes for apprentices. For example, managers have developed entry pathways to apprenticeships through the pre-employment programme. Managers also work closely, with local higher education institutions, to develop pathways into nursing for health care assistants.

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Significant progress

Tutors plan learning exceedingly well to meet the needs of the apprentices and line managers. Thorough assessment of apprentices’ skills at the start of the programme informs the choice of units towards the qualification. Skills coaches and apprentices select the units that will best support the apprentice’s development to meet the needs of their job roles. As a result, apprentices can link their qualifications to their job roles particularly well. As a consequence, apprentices deepen their knowledge and understanding and make rapid progress in developing the appropriate skills and behaviours.

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Significant progress

Tutors plan particularly good and meaningful induction activities that support apprentices in their job roles. Tutors challenge apprentices systematically to undertake tasks they may not have previously completed. For example, level 3 management apprentices prepare a presentation and deliver it to their peers within two hours of first meeting the group.

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Significant progress

Tutors and line managers plan off-the-job training skilfully by linking training to current activity in the workplace. Apprentices quickly develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours and grow in confidence because of their training. They are more able to complete their duties at work, such as line managing a variety of staff, planning projects and helping service users who may present challenges. Senior healthcare support worker apprentices develop and deliver training packages for cognitive stimulation therapy across the trust.

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Significant progress

Tutors are highly experienced and have worked previously as practitioners for the NHS and/or the education sector. Apprentices benefit from tutors’ skills and experience throughout their training and in the detailed feedback they receive. As a Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018 result, apprentices produce high quality, detailed and accurate work that is often above the standard expected.

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Significant progress

Tutors are skilful in developing apprentices’ mathematical and English skills. Apprentices who have previously attained qualifications in these subjects complete highly relevant projects, within their work setting, to extend their mathematical and English skills. For example, apprentices working in pathology, undertake projects that analyse the costs and frequency of external tests and the impact on annual financial forecasting.

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Significant progress

The systematic tracking of apprentices’ progress in the development of new knowledge, skills and behaviours ensures that staff quickly identify and support apprentices who are falling behind. Tutors, apprentices and line managers use a reliable matrix to track the development of job-specific behaviours within the workplace. Most apprentices know how well they are progressing and what they need to do to improve. Many apprentices are on target for merit and distinction grades and understand how to achieve these. However, leaders and managers do not use the assessment of apprentices’ starting points well enough to inform the setting of target grades.

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Significant progress

Safeguarding is a high priority and is central to the work of the mental health teams. Apprentices receive in-depth training on safeguarding for both children and adults as part of their corporate and apprenticeship inductions. Apprentices also benefit from a range of bespoke training programmes to safeguard service users and themselves. Depending on their roles, apprentices complete safeguarding training to at least level 1. Many healthcare support worker and senior healthcare support worker apprentices complete safeguarding training at level 3. Apprentices effectively apply this learning in their job roles.

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Significant progress

Apprentices have a thorough understanding of the process for reporting issues, should they or their service users have any concerns about safeguarding. The trust’s safeguarding reporting procedures are clear and permanently on the home page of the intranet. The ‘one-click’ reporting process ensures that staff deal with safeguarding concerns quickly and efficiently.

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Significant progress

Managers ensure that records of safeguarding incidents are stored securely and can only be accessed by named safeguarding officers. Recording of safeguarding incidents is highly detailed. The safeguarding logs outline the steps taken in relation to the incident, any external agencies involved and the outcome following the investigation. Safeguarding officers carry out their roles effectively because of the training they receive. Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018 Leaders and managers pay high regard to the ‘Prevent’ duty. Apprentices have a clear understanding of the threats of radicalisation and extremism, particularly in relation to the service users they support. For example, they know the necessary procedure to follow if service users access inappropriate content online.

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Significant progress

The trust uses safe recruitment practices when employing apprentices and staff. Managers ensure that Disclosure and Barring Service checks are carried out on staff at all levels. Apprentices follow safe working practices diligently to ensure their own and their service users’ safety. Monitoring visit: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 21-22 November 2018 the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . Learner View Learner View is a website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Significant progress

Employer View Employer View is a website where employers can tell Ofsted what they think about their employees’ college or provider. They can also see what other employers think about them too. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Significant progress

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to

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Significant progress

the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Significant progress

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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