King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Peter Nelson, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

Denmark Hill London SE5 9RS Monitoring visit: King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 27-28 March 2019

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Context and focus of visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of a programme of monitoring visits to new apprenticeship training providers that are funded through the apprenticeship levy. Ofsted’s intention to carry out monitoring visits to these new providers was first announced by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector in November 2017. The focus of these visits is on the three themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

King’s College NHS Foundation Trust (the trust) started delivering apprenticeship standards in 2017. Since then, the trust has recruited a total of 23 apprentices onto a range of programmes including dental nursing, health and social care, senior healthcare support worker, and clinical skills. The trust offers both apprenticeship frameworks and standards. At the time of the visit there were nine apprentices still on programme. The trust also has around 170 apprentices who receive their apprenticeship programme through other apprenticeship providers.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not made the transition from the requirements of legacy qualifications previously delivered by the trust, to the new apprenticeship standards. They have insufficient understanding of how to deliver successful apprenticeships. The management of the apprenticeship programme is disjointed and ineffective. Managers responsible for delivering the dental nursing apprenticeship work in relative isolation from those responsible for the other vocational areas. While there are some examples of effective delivery on the dental nursing apprenticeship, there are no systems in place for managers and assessors to share that practice more widely to raise standards. Quality assurance and quality improvement procedures are ineffective. Managers have not done enough to identify the weaknesses in the apprenticeship programme and have not put in place strategies for improvement. Neither senior leaders nor members of the trust’s board have oversight of the quality

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Insufficient progress

of the apprenticeship provision. As a result, they do not hold managers to account sufficiently for the inconsistencies and weaknesses in the quality of apprenticeship provision. For example, they have failed to rectify the high drop-out rate of apprentices from the programme. Managers do not plan effectively for all apprentices’ end-point assessments, and do not help apprentices prepare for the assessment in a timely manner. As a result, Monitoring visit: King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 27-28 March 2019 apprentices are unclear of what they need to do to complete and achieve the programme. The rationale, strategic planning and delivery of apprenticeships forms a core component of the trust’s wider workforce planning. The process for selecting dental apprentices is thorough. Managers recruit with integrity people who have the potential to enter full-time employment after their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Many apprentices do not receive sufficiently accurate information, advice and guidance prior to commencing their apprenticeship. They do not understand the expectations of the programme, such as the requirement to take functional skills. As a result, many drop off the course prematurely as it does not meet their expectations. Staff do not assess effectively enough learners’ prior knowledge, skills and behaviours on the health and social care pathway. They do not use information from these assessments to plan apprentices’ learning priorities. Apprentices do not have individual learning plans or an overview of how on- and off-the-job training link together. Managers in the workplace do not fully understand their role in supporting the apprentices. They do not play a significant role in identifying suitable opportunities for apprentices to extend and develop new skills through their jobs. They do not ensure that apprentices have enough time to complete the off-the-job training

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Insufficient progress

component of the programme. As a result, apprentices are forced to complete work in their own time. Apprentices do not receive sufficiently frequent reviews. The targets that assessors set apprentices are too generic. They do not provide sufficiently detailed information to apprentices about what they should do to extend their skills and behaviours. As a result, apprentices make slow progress. Of the 23 apprentices enrolled on the programme, more than half have withdrawn prematurely, or have paused their programme. Many of those apprentices still on programme make slow progress towards completing the apprenticeship. Apprentices appreciate the support and guidance they receive from assessors. They feel they acquire useful new skills and receive constructive guidance from assessors on written assignments.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place suitable steps to help ensure apprentices’ health, safety and well-being. Apprentices feel safe, and have a sound understanding of the trust’s Monitoring visit: King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 27-28 March 2019 approach to safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. They know who to speak to if they have any safeguarding-related concerns. Apprentices receive appropriate briefing and training on safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and related topics such as patient well-being and clinical hygiene. Assessors create opportunities to explore these themes with apprentices in more depth, as part of their face-to-face reviews. Managers have appropriate policies and systems in place to identify and address safeguarding concerns. They have links with external agencies, where required, from which they can access more specialist advice and guidance on safeguarding-related issues. Monitoring visit: King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 27-28 March 2019

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable 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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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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