Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is the largest trust in the country. The trust employs 23,000 staff and provides clinical services in nine hospitals in Greater Manchester. MFT formed following the merger of Central Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust in October 2017.

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Information about this provider

MFT began delivering levy-funded apprenticeships in May 2017. At the time of the inspection there were 423 apprentices enrolled on five apprenticeship standards- based programmes. Of these, 237 apprentices are following the healthcare support worker programme at level 2 and 133 are following the senior healthcare support worker programme at level 3. There are 30 apprentices on the business administration apprenticeship at level 3 and one apprentice on the level 2 programme. There are 14 apprentices on the level 3 programme in team leading and eight on level 3 in dental nursing. MFT works with one subcontractor JM Recruitment, who deliver online functional skills training in mathematics and English. In July 2018, MFT received a new provider monitoring visit from Ofsted. 14–17 January 2020

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices participate enthusiastically in their learning. They quickly develop confidence and independence skills and become more resilient. Apprentices accurately apply their new knowledge and skills at work. On completion of their programmes, most apprentices remain in their roles, gain promotion or progress to higher levels of study.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices on the dental programme work in all areas of the dental hospital. This gives them a rich and varied experience. They develop skills in addition to those required for general dental practice. Healthcare support worker apprentices and business apprentices work in challenging and busy environments, giving them first- hand experience of working on wards, with patients and in busy office environments.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices are ambitious and have high expectations for what they can achieve. They are highly motivated, with a strong determination to succeed. They make substantial contributions to the workplace and are rightly valued by their employer.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices enjoy their time at MTF. Most value the support they get from their line managers and tutor-assessors. Apprentices feel safe in their work and learning environments. They follow safe working practices.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices on healthcare support worker and business programmes are frustrated because the sequencing of off-the-job training is not always planned carefully enough to link to what they are doing in the workplace.

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better?

MFT apprenticeship programmes provide an important link to the trust workforce strategy. Leaders have identified key skill-shortage areas within the trust and the wider community. They have designed healthcare support worker apprenticeships at level 2 and level 3 to meet identified gaps.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision to provide high-quality programmes for apprentices. This has not yet been fully realised. Leaders recognise they were too slow to improve the quality of apprenticeship programmes. They have recently reviewed and made appropriate changes to how the curriculum is delivered. The aim is to ensure that apprentices’ prior learning and experience are considered fully when planning individual programmes of study. The impact of these changes is not yet evident.

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better?

Tutors and assessors in the dental department use their vocational knowledge, skills and experience to link off-the-job learning to the workplace. They use examples from their clinical practice to enhance the classroom learning. For example, dental apprentices learn about cross-infection control and personal, protective equipment such as masks and gloves. Apprentices are an asset to the department. 14–17 January 2020

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Workplace managers ensure that apprentices are developing and honing the skills they need to be proficient in their roles. For example, dental apprentices improve their knowledge and skills in mixing treatment products through practising in an environment where both dentists and nurses learn together. Healthcare support worker apprentices improve their communication and empathy skills by working with patients in end-of-life care. Business administration apprentices develop organisational skills by managing and reporting on patient-tracking systems. All apprentices develop their team-working skills.

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Tutors on healthcare support worker programmes do not keep employers informed about what apprentices are learning during their off-the-job training or the details about apprentices’ end-point assessment. Therefore, workplace managers are unable to support apprentices to further develop their skills or help prepare them prepare for their end-point assessment.

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Apprentices with additional support needs do not receive effective support from a few tutors. For example, apprentices who have dyslexia are not supported to develop strategies to improve the quality of their written work. Consequently, apprentices with additional learning support needs make slower progress than their peers.

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Tutors use a range of innovative teaching methods to ensure that new knowledge is remembered and embedded into apprentices’ long-term memory. For example, in the dental school, tutors test apprentices’ memory of instruments used in surgical procedures. This ensures that apprentices are well prepared and ready for work in operating theatres.

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A few tutors on the healthcare support worker programmes do not check apprentices’ learning before moving on to the next topic. As a result, tutors fail to identify gaps in apprentices’ knowledge, which hampers the progress of a small minority of apprentices.

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Apprentices on healthcare support worker programmes do not develop their skills in English and mathematics quickly enough. Functional skills tutors do not use information about apprentices’ starting points to plan an effective curriculum.

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Apprentices develop their character, confidence and resilience. They participate in activities that build these skills. For example, dental apprentices benefit from professional development (ACE) days. They work alongside consultants and trainee dental surgeons to explore new dental practices.

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Apprentices make informed decisions about their next steps within the trust. For example, healthcare support apprentices are aware of the next level of apprenticeship. Dental apprentices take additional specialist courses in orthodontics, which allows them to specialise and run their own clinics. However, apprentices do not receive careers information, advice or guidance on opportunities outside the trust. 14–17 January 2020

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Too many apprentices do not complete their apprenticeship or take too long to complete it. Around one fifth of apprentices have not successfully completed their programme by their planned end date.

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A change of leaders and board members has had a positive effect on governance of the apprenticeship programmes. They have a clear strategy for the role of apprentices within the trust. The board has started to improve communication with departments in the trust.

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The board members are well informed, challenge leaders appropriately and hold them to account. They have made strategic changes based on accurate reports from leaders. Leaders rightly recognise that they have been too slow to put in place the required changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders pay high regard to safeguarding all members of the trust. MFT has a trust- wide safeguarding team. The team provides a strong support network to departmental safeguarding leads, who are appropriately qualified, experienced and trained. Staff benefit from regular training and frequent updates on safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and a range of other safeguarding-related issues such as county lines. Apprentices feel safe and are safe. They have a thorough understanding of MFT procedures and know how to report any concerns.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Rapidly reduce the number of apprentices who leave before completing their apprenticeship or continue in learning beyond their planned end date.  Include employers in the planning of apprentices’ learning to ensure that the on- and off-the-job training effectively supports apprentices’ progress and prepares them for end-point assessment.  Ensure that apprentices with additional support needs are supported competently by tutors so that they develop their skills and knowledge at the same rate as their peers.  Ensure that staff delivering functional skills courses plan the curriculum effectively by using apprentices’ starting points to develop quickly apprentices’ English and mathematics skills.  Ensure that apprentices receive high-quality careers information, advice and guidance to help them make decisions about their future. 14–17 January 2020

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Provider details

Address Cobbett House Trust Headquarters Oxford Rd MANCHESTER M13 9WL

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors JM Recruitment 14–17 January 2020

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the Head of Apprenticeships, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring visit report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements including observing learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Alex Lang, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Alastair Mollon Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrea Machell Her Majesty’s Inspector Alison Humphreys Her Majesty’s Inspector Kate Williams Ofsted Inspector 14–17 January 2020

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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.

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