South East Coast Ambulance Service Nhs Foundation Trust

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Emma Barrett-Peel Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: South East Coast Ambulance Foundation Trust Nexus House 4 Gatwick Road Crawley RH10 9BG Monitoring visit: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 28–29 October 2020

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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 provider received a monitoring visit under these arrangements and was found to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes.

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Context and focus of visit

On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As part of our phased return to routine inspections, we are carrying out additional monitoring visits to new providers that were judged to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes at their previous monitoring visit and would have been due their full inspection up to or during the interim phase but have not received it because of the suspension of routine inspections. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements as outlined in the interim phase operational note for further education and skills and with reference to the further education and skills handbook and is focused on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is part of the National Health Service. SECAmb has been an employer provider for levy-paid apprenticeship training since May 2017. At the time of the monitoring visit, 97 apprentices were on either level 3 or 4 standards-based programmes in two specialist areas: associate ambulance practitioner and emergency support worker. Over three quarters are studying the level 3 emergency support worker programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeships. They have made improvements since the previous monitoring visit. For example, they make better use of data to make sure apprentices are making good progress.

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Reasonable progress

Managers work effectively with staff in the workplace to make sure that training, both on- and off-the-job, is well planned, coordinated and monitored. Managers use timetables well to make sure topics in taught sessions are aligned to the activities apprentices do at work. As a result, apprentices make good progress and quickly Monitoring visit: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 28–29 October 2020 develop the substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to carry out demanding jobs.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders make sure they monitor the quality of training and make improvements. Tutors are highly qualified practitioners and all still work in the ambulance service. They use their expert knowledge well to support apprentices’ development. Leaders give staff much better training to make sure they can support and track apprentices’ progress and develop their own skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders manage their subcontracted provision well, and have a good understanding of the quality of English and mathematics training that ProTrain staff provide. Leaders make sure the subcontractor initially assesses all apprentices’ English and mathematics skills and implements effective plans to help them improve these skills. As a result, most apprentices who require an English and/or mathematics qualification have already passed them.

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Reasonable progress

Governance arrangements are now more robust. Committee members have a detailed understanding of the apprenticeship requirements. They use this knowledge well to scrutinise and challenge the actions managers take to continue to make rapid improvements for apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from good teaching, which they apply well at work. For example, their understanding of anatomy and physiology helps them to better understand patient symptoms. Apprentices feel they make good progress; they are enthusiastic about their job and future careers. Most apprentices are already talking about their next steps and future plans. Since the previous monitoring visit, a few apprentices have progressed onto university to complete a paramedic degree programme.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices get useful support from operational team leaders, specialist mentors and colleagues at work. This support helps them to quickly apply and improve their new knowledge and skills in emergency situations. For example, an apprentice was able to make quick, lifesaving decisions when a patient stopped breathing in an ambulance during a transfer to hospital.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices identified as needing extra help are well supported by tutors to make progress in line with their peers. Staff create a personal support plan to make appropriate adjustments to all aspects of their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices receive useful feedback on their work, as a result they make good progress in their studies. The few apprentices who do not get constructive feedback on their work have fallen behind and are now spending time catching up. Monitoring visit: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 28–29 October 2020 Tutors make sure at the start of the programme that apprentices know about the end-point assessment. However, for a few apprentices this is not reinforced. As a result, they do not have a good enough understanding of how to prepare for their final assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have decided to move some teaching online as a result of the pandemic. They trained staff and apprentices to be able to continue with learning remotely. Managers have reviewed the content that needs to be delivered face to face, such as manual handling of patients, and made sure that these topics can be done safely in the classroom.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have effective safeguarding policies and procedures in place that they implement well. Risk assessments and action plans, which include the ‘Prevent’ duty, are frequently reviewed and revised.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders train staff appropriately and, because of this, apprentices and staff feel safe. Staff and apprentices have a good knowledge of safeguarding and they know how and to whom they can raise concerns. Staff deal with concerns swiftly and appropriately, working with external organisations when required. Apprentices have a good understanding of the risks from radicalisation and extremism in the context of their work. Monitoring visit: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 28–29 October 2020 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable 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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