HCRG Care Services Limited

VH Doctors Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Mark Shackleton, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: 7–12 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9LT Monitoring visit: VH Doctors Limited, 21–22 February 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

VH Doctors Limited operates as ‘the learning enterprise’ (TLE) which is the training and development team of Virgin Care Limited. Among a wide-range of training activity the TLE team manages a number of levy funded apprenticeships. At the time of the monitoring visit 126 apprentices were on one of five standards-based programmes. The largest number were on the level 5 assistant practitioner programme, with smaller numbers on senior healthcare support worker, team leader and business administration, all at level 3, and customer service practitioner at level 2. A very small number of business administration apprentices were just about to complete their framework programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Virgin Care directors have used their strong governance arrangements to ensure that TLE is supported and challenged to introduce apprenticeships successfully. Leaders see apprenticeships as a vital addition to the broader training and education provided by TLE to ensure that staff develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours the business needs.

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Reasonable progress

TLE managers ensure that apprenticeships are tailored to meet individual and business needs. They carry out thorough recruitment procedures for new or existing employees to ensure that they are placed on the right programme. This ensures that apprentices can develop the substantial new knowledge and skills they need in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have ensured that end-point-assessments (EPA) are in place for all five standards-based programmes. Apprentices are aware of the content and structure of their apprenticeships and when and how they will be assessed during their EPA. Monitoring visit: VH Doctors Limited, 21–22 February 2019 Trainer assessors prepare apprentices nearing the end of their programme effectively for their EPA.

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Reasonable progress

Assistant practitioner apprentices benefit from a very well managed partnership with Derby University, which provides the course materials for this programme.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices benefit from extensive programmed learning time each week. Managers and trainer-assessors monitor this requirement effectively, but it can take too long for apprentices to catch up on learning time when they have been diverted to other duties. For example, assistant practitioner apprentices miss learning time when called upon during upsurges in patient numbers during the winter. TLE managers recognise the need to ensure that managers plan and implement this catch-up time more swiftly. Managers monitor apprentices’ progress effectively and ensure that trainer-assessors help apprentices who have fallen behind to catch up. However, they do not monitor the progress of different groups of apprentices, for example by gender or ethnic background. As a result, they are unaware if any groups of apprentices do not progress as well as others.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices are on track to succeed within planned timescales. A few apprentices are expected to achieve earlier than their planned completion date. Apprentices develop good practical skills and gain additional qualifications, such as a care certificate, which enhances their employability. Trainer-assessors provide effective support to develop the personal, social and communication skills that apprentices need to improve their performance at work. Managers have implemented effective processes to evaluate the quality of training. As a result, they provide tutors and trainer-assessors with improvement targets following observations of sessions, and challenge and support them to improve. This process is helping tutors and trainer-assessors to improve their teaching and assessment practice. Inspectors found that apprentices interviewed during the monitoring visit were highly motivated, were enjoying their training, and found the training to be very relevant to

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Reasonable progress

their job roles. Apprentices were keen to develop in their chosen careers and were clear about how their apprenticeship will help them do this. As a result of being on an assistant practitioner programme, they were able to gain new skills and do higher-level work such as removing sutures, taking blood and inserting catheters. During teaching, learning and assessment sessions, trainer-assessors check apprentices’ understanding well with skilful questioning and frequent reviews of apprentices’ work. Staff monitor apprentices’ spelling and grammatical errors and support apprentices effectively to improve their written English skills. Trainer- Monitoring visit: VH Doctors Limited, 21–22 February 2019 assessors use the electronic recording system well to record assessments, training and reviews. Workplace managers take part in, and make positive contributions to, apprentices’ reviews. Apprentices’ work is generally of a high standard and many achieve marks at

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Reasonable progress

distinction level. However, during reviews, assessors do not agree targets grades with apprentices early enough in their programmes to provide them with additional motivation to continue to work hard. The targets which trainer-assessors set with apprentices focus well on identifying for apprentices the units of their programme they need to complete, but do not give adequate guidance regarding their broader personal, English and mathematics skills. This slows apprentices’ potential progress in developing these broader skills. Apprentices who are required to take functional skills examinations in English, mathematics or information and communication technology use online learning packages and workbooks to prepare for examinations. Trainer-assessors provide support, but this is too late in apprentices’ programmes to help them develop the skills they need in the workplace and to be confident about passing their

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Reasonable progress

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A very strong safeguarding culture permeates the company and TLE and, as a result, suitable safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. Managers review and update these policies frequently.

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Reasonable progress

The appropriately trained designated safeguarding lead is well known to apprentices as the point of contact, should they have any concerns. There are no safeguarding concerns. The safeguarding lead does not record minor concerns affecting apprentices other than keeping copies of any related emails; trainer-assessors tend to retain this information. As a result, concerns or trends which might escalate to bigger problems cannot be easily identified and monitored.

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Reasonable progress

Managers focus well on ensuring that staff who work with apprentices are safe to do so. They check staff references appropriately and carry out appropriate checks on all staff who have contact with apprentices. Checks are refreshed at suitable intervals.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have identified the risks related to the ‘Prevent’ duty and developed effective policies to safeguard apprentices. Apprentices have a reasonable awareness of the dangers of extremism and radicalisation and how these dangers challenge both their safety and British values. Monitoring visit: VH Doctors Limited, 21–22 February 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 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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Reasonable 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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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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