Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Michelle Brabner, Ofsted Inspector

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Address: Salford Royal Hospital Stott Lane Salford M6 8HD Monitoring visit: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, 15–16 January 2019

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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 themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (the trust) became a levy-funded employer provider in May 2017. The trust employs more than 7,000 staff. Nine managers and tutors manage the programme and provide training for apprentices.

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Context and focus of visit

Currently, 16 apprentices are on healthcare support worker apprenticeship standards at level 2 and 31 are on senior healthcare support worker apprenticeship standards at level 3. Six apprentices study a business administration framework at level 2 and two business administrator apprentices are working towards a level 3 standard. One apprentice is enrolled on a level 2 customer service administrator standard. A fifth of apprentices are new employees of the trust.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and governors have an ambitious vision for apprenticeships at the trust. This includes increasing the number of apprentices to meet the challenges of an aging workforce, increasing staff numbers in areas of shortage and improving staff retention. Hospital staff value the apprenticeship offer highly. They recognise that through apprenticeships, staff develop new knowledge, skills, and behaviours at work. Leaders and managers recruit well-qualified tutors who have the required competence, skills and knowledge to deliver the apprenticeship programmes. Mentors and line managers, who support apprentices in the workplace, understand their roles and responsibilities very well. Apprentices appreciate the level of expertise and help they receive from these staff both on- and off-the-job. Leaders and managers have suitable processes in place to manage staff underperformance. They take appropriate action when practices do not improve.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, 15–16 January 2019 Leaders and managers recruit apprentices with integrity. Apprentices receive effective information, advice and guidance from managers before signing up to an apprenticeship. As a result, apprentices join the correct programme at the right level. Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices receive effective support to achieve their functional skills qualifications. Almost all apprentices who have completed their functional skills examinations in English and/or mathematics have achieved their qualifications. Their first-time pass rates are high. Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices complete sufficient off-the-job training to meet the requirements of an apprenticeship. Apprentices put what they learn in the classroom into practice in their workplace. For example, apprentices on the level 2 healthcare support worker apprenticeship use their knowledge of anatomy

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and physiology to safely complete blood pressure observations on patients. Managers and tutors do not have a sufficient oversight of the broad range of training that apprentices receive. This impedes managers’ ability to evaluate fully the any gaps in apprentices’ on-the-job training and development. Leaders and managers know what progress individual apprentices make on their programmes. They identify those apprentices who are falling behind and put in place appropriate interventions that are successful in ensuring that most apprentices get back on track. However, leaders and managers do not have a clear enough oversight of the progress that groups of apprentices make from their starting points. Governance is well established across the trust, but is not yet fully effective in challenging the apprenticeship provision. Governors receive reports about the apprenticeship programmes, but these do not focus enough on the quality of

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teaching, learning and assessment or the progress that apprentices make from their starting points. As a result, governors do not provide sufficient challenge to leaders and managers. Governors, leaders and managers are right to recognise this and have plans in place to produce a range of reports which focus on these topics.

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Reasonable progress

Managers plan apprenticeship programmes very effectively. Apprentices complete a 12-day introductory course at the start of their apprenticeship. This prepares them for their job role and ensures that they understand the demands of the apprenticeship very well. Managers and tutors have developed relevant training opportunities to ensure that apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices gain the new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to contribute to their employers’ businesses. For example, on the hospital wards senior healthcare support worker apprentices efficiently check patients’ oxygen levels and blood pressure during physiological observations. Monitoring visit: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, 15–16 January 2019 Tutors plan a range of activities that increase apprentices’ understanding of patients’ needs. Apprentices use role-play activities to develop their skills. As a result, they

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Reasonable progress

treat patients with dignity and respect. Most apprentices make good progress. They develop their skills well at work. Apprentices are clear about their progress and what they need to do to complete their apprenticeships. They are right to appreciate the support they receive from tutors. Conversely, a very small minority of apprentices on business administration and customer service apprenticeships do not make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders and managers have put in place actions to improve this, but the impact of these actions is not yet evident. Leaders, managers and tutors do not set targets for grades that apprentices should aim to achieve. Apprentices are enthusiastic and enjoy their learning. They describe how they apply the knowledge and skills they have learned to their workplaces. For example, senior healthcare support worker apprentices develop their understanding of cross- contamination. As a result, they follow and promote safe procedures on the wards.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use questioning skills successfully to assess apprentices’ knowledge, understanding and practical skills development during observations at work. They give apprentices useful verbal feedback on how to improve their work. As a result, apprentices recognise and correct errors. Level 3 senior support worker apprentices show effective techniques during assessments on the ward, including the correct use of personal protective equipment, patient care and communication. Most apprentices use a wide range of evidence to produce a high standard of written work. They demonstrate how successfully they develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours during their apprenticeships. Apprentices successfully develop their skills in English and mathematics. They apply what they learn to the workplace. For example, level 2 health care support workers improve their communication skills, resulting in better interaction with patients. They

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Reasonable progress

accurately calculate the correct measurements needed for patients undergoing fluid therapy.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place, and follow, effective safer recruitment and selection procedures of staff. Staff complete the relevant documentation, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. Apprentices understand how to keep themselves and their patients safe. They carry out safe working practices in their workplace. For example, apprentices carefully follow appropriate infection control procedures on the wards. Apprentices know how to report any concerns about their own or their patients’ safety. Leaders and managers have established a comprehensive safeguarding training plan. This reflects the hospital setting and includes local safeguarding priorities, such as domestic abuse and complex safeguarding issues, including human trafficking, sham Monitoring visit: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, 15–16 January 2019 marriage and child sexual exploitation. Leaders and managers ensure that all staff

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Reasonable progress

and apprentices complete mandatory training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty to at least level 2. They have appointed a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) who is appropriately trained to the right level. The trust has a well-established and highly experienced safeguarding team of staff, with whom the DSL works. The trust safeguarding team has established close links with external support agencies. The team refers staff and apprentices appropriately. Monitoring visit: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, 15–16 January 2019 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

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

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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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