Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Saher Nijabat, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: 350 Euston Road Regent’s Place London NW1 3AX Monitoring visit: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, 23–24 June 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Central and North West London NHS Foundations Trust was inspected in September 2019. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Since their most recent inspection, leaders have made changes in the leadership and management of their apprenticeship provision. The assistant director of recovery, organisational learning and development now provides strategic management for the apprenticeships and supports the new head of education, apprentices and learning.

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Context and focus of visit

At the start of the pandemic, many apprentices experienced increased workloads and their job roles changed. To account for these disturbances and the delays caused due to the pandemic, leaders have provided additional time for apprentices to complete their qualifications.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, 18 apprentices were on a level 3 team leader/supervisor apprenticeship and 12 apprentices were on a level 3 business administration apprenticeship. All teaching and training activities for apprenticeship programmes remain online.

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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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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have started to tackle the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection. They have improved how they check apprentices’ suitability for the programmes, giving apprentices the opportunity to develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. However, they have not structured the whole apprenticeship programme effectively to ensure that all apprentices receive their entitlement to training time. Many apprentices are using their own time for their studies. As a result, apprentices, particularly those who are ward based, struggle to manage their Monitoring visit: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, 23–24 June 2021 workload. Apprentices’ managers do not have suitable input into the quarterly progress review.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders and staff have been too slow to implement action plans for apprentices who have fallen behind. In a few cases, apprentices who started last year feel their slow progress is due to the programme not being structured well. A recently appointed management team has been introduced to monitor the quality of provision, but it is too early to measure the impact of their intended actions.

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Insufficient progress

Since the previous inspection, senior leaders and staff have sensibly reviewed some aspects of the curriculum. They sequence the knowledge-based teaching of the standards well to develop apprentices’ understanding of key aspects of business administration and team leading. Apprentices learn about different policies, procedures and stakeholders before moving on to more complex aspects such as quality improvement and financial presentation skills.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors use discussions, presentations and questioning well to build apprentices’ knowledge and understanding in teaching sessions. Most apprentices find resources helpful and use the resources and activities well to produce work of a professional standard. Apprentices’ managers recognise that apprentices improve their performance and grow in confidence due to their apprenticeship programme.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have reviewed and improved how they recruit apprentices and assess their prior knowledge and skills. Staff check apprentices’ suitability to start the programme well and have discussions with managers and apprentices about apprenticeship requirements so that all parties are clear about these. Tutors check thoroughly that the programme aligns well with apprentices’ job roles and how it can enhance their career development. As a result, the proportion of apprentices who stay on the programme is high.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive effective support from tutors and assessors in weekly one-to-one and monthly review sessions. Staff pick up any individual needs and gaps in knowledge well through discussion in these sessions. Teaching staff help any apprentices who fall behind to catch up by revisiting previously taught content. Since the previous inspection, most apprentices who went through their final assessments have achieved high grades. Some have achieved promotions at the end of their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and assessors provide appropriate support to apprentices who have additional learning support needs. For example, apprentices who have dyslexia receive extra time to complete work. Tutors and assessors give apprentices helpful feedback on their written work so that they can improve the quality of assignments. However, feedback from tutors Monitoring visit: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, 23–24 June 2021 and assessors does not provide any clear guidance around what apprentices can do to improve their performance in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and staff do not monitor the progress of apprentices across all elements of their apprenticeship programme. Staff do not always use their knowledge of what apprentices already know and can do at the start of the programme when planning and teaching the curriculum. For example, staff do not use skills scans and initial assessments results to set clear targets around training for mathematics and English elements. Consequently, senior leaders and staff do not have an accurate overview of the progress of apprentices. Most apprentices who started last year are behind their already extended completion dates.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have taken suitable action to ensure staff teach a curriculum that allows apprentices to develop knowledge of British values. They have reviewed and revised their curriculum plans to include opportunities for apprentices to build their knowledge and understanding of company core values and explore how they link with British values.

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Reasonable progress

All apprentices who started earlier this year were informed about British values at their induction. In their earlier sessions, apprentices discuss their company’s core values, such as respect and empowerment. They explore how respecting diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences of their staff and service users creates a respectful and inclusive environment. They talk about how access to appropriate support and training empowers staff to develop and grow. Apprentices discuss how these values relate to British values of mutual respect and tolerance and individual liberty.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices are aware of the importance of following company values in their workplace to work effectively with colleagues and provide a good service to patients. Apprentices explain well how listening to others and valuing others’ opinions shows respect. Apprentices on the team leading apprenticeship describe the value of ensuring all staff have equal access to suitable training and resources to develop and grow.

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Reasonable progress

Teaching staff do not use appropriate techniques to deepen apprentices’ understanding of British values. Apprentices who started last year learned about British values at the induction and have not revisited these since. Monitoring visit: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, 23–24 June 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 and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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