Medipro Limited

Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Viking House Falcon Court Preston Farm Business Park Stockton-on-Tees TS18 3TX Monitoring visit: Medipro Limited, 19–20 May 2021

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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 ESFA 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 ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Medipro Limited is an independent learning provider based in Stockton-on-Tees. It provides training to apprentices in the north east, Bristol and the east of England. The provider first received funding to deliver apprenticeships in April 2020, and it currently has 118 apprentices enrolled on programmes. There are 61 apprentices on the level 3 ambulance support worker standard and 57 apprentices on the level 4 associate ambulance practitioner standard. Most apprentices are over 19 years of age.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with employers to develop a curriculum that enables apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful in the workplace. They adapt the curriculum in response to requests from employers to meet their specific needs. For example, apprentices in the east of England need to learn how to read and understand a 12-lead electrocardiogram, so leaders include this in the curriculum.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide high-quality training facilities for apprentices at the training centre in Stockton-on-Tees. Apprentices have access to outdoor spaces that simulate road traffic accidents, working at height and dealing with external risks such as electrical supplies and working in confined spaces. However, apprentices do not have access to these facilities at training centres in other regions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the programmes they deliver meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. They work closely with employers to make sure Monitoring visit: Medipro Limited, 19–20 May 2021 that apprentices are on the right course and benefit from high-quality, off-the-job training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that end-point assessments are in place and that apprentices are aware of the requirements. Apprentices practise professional discussions in the workplace and spend time at the training centre preparing for end-point assessment. However, a few apprentices are not aware of the possible grades of pass, merit and distinction that they can achieve.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders monitor the progress of apprentices effectively. They hold regular meetings to discuss the progress of each apprentice and ensure that tutors provide extra one- to-one sessions for apprentices who are at risk of falling behind.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have effective processes in place to monitor the quality of the training for apprentices. They complete observations of training and use this information to identify accurately the areas for improvement. They have implemented a number of improvement measures, such as delivering training on providing useful feedback, but it is too early to see the impact.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders manage the subcontractor that they work with effectively. They communicate frequently with managers at the subcontractor and review the quality of the training and assessment that apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan and deliver the curriculum in a logical order to build on apprentices’ existing knowledge and skills. Apprentices learn about anatomy and physiology, and then apply this knowledge in practical situations. For example, they identify where there is an internal bleed when considering placenta abruption by taking blood pressure and checking to see if the stomach is solid.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are well qualified and have significant vocational experience which they use well to support apprentices to develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices describe the knowledge that they have gained about dealing with emergency situations, and they demonstrate their ability to deal with someone suffering cardiac arrest in a simulated situation.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use questioning effectively to check apprentices’ understanding. For example, they check that apprentices can recall the volume of oxygen that might be required when a patient presents with eclampsia.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide helpful feedback to apprentices which helps to improve the standard of their work. However, in a few cases the feedback focuses too much on the completion of Monitoring visit: Medipro Limited, 19–20 May 2021 tasks and qualification units and not sufficiently on the development of the knowledge and skills that apprentices need to complete those tasks.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide useful advice to apprentices on their next steps. Apprentices are aware of possible career opportunities. They know how they can become a paramedic by progressing on to a higher-level apprenticeship or by enrolling on a degree course.

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Reasonable progress

The small number of apprentices who need to complete functional skills qualifications have made slower than expected progress. They have had to do extra shifts at work due to the pandemic so have not been able to attend functional skills sessions. Tutors provide helpful support during vocational lessons to develop apprentices’ English and mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

In a few instances, tutors do not plan sufficient time for apprentices to recap on their learning. Initial training is intensive and there is limited time for apprentices to identify and address gaps in their knowledge. As a result, a few apprentices spend additional hours at home revising aspects of the training that they struggle with.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that there are useful policies and procedures in place to help keep apprentices safe. The safe recruitment policy ensures that staff are recruited who are appropriate to work with apprentices. The designated safeguarding lead has carried out relevant training to enable her to be effective in her role.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide useful training and information to apprentices on safeguarding. Apprentices are clear about reporting processes, both during their training and when at work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use opportunities to reinforce safeguarding theory in the context of apprentices’ job roles. For example, they revisit the subject of female genital mutilation during training on childbirth, as apprentices may need this understanding when supporting paramedics with childbirth.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have an appropriate ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan in place. They have identified that most apprentices are not aware of local issues and how this might impact on them in the workplace and the community in which they live. They have begun to take action to raise apprentices’ awareness, but it is too soon to see the impact. Monitoring visit: Medipro Limited, 19–20 May 2021 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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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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