Synergy Health (UK) Limited

Synergy Health (UK) Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Emma Woods, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: STERIS Head Office New Market Drive Derby DE24 8SW Monitoring visit: Synergy Health (UK) Limited, 17–18 August 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 the Education and Skills Funding Agency 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

Synergy Health (UK) Limited trades as Steris. Steris is a large international company that specialises in the decontamination of medical instruments. They began training apprentices in 2019. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 15 level 2 healthcare science assistant apprentices, three level 2 customer service practitioner apprentices and one level 3 team leader apprentice.

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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 have a strong rationale for the apprenticeships they offer. The healthcare science assistant apprenticeship aligns with leaders’ ambition to develop a technically qualified workforce. Leaders have sound plans to increase the number of new apprentices they recruit to meet skills needs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders check apprentices’ previous qualifications to ensure that they study at the right level. Apprentices assess their existing knowledge, skills and behaviours at the start of their studies. However, trainer-assessors do not always use these assessments well enough to plan training for apprentices who are existing employees. As a result, a few apprentices repeat training on topics they already know.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that arrangements for apprentices’ final assessments are in place. The majority of apprentices achieve merit grades. Leaders reflect carefully on the outcomes of final assessments and improve the ways in which trainer-assessors prepare apprentices for them. Monitoring visit: Synergy Health (UK) Limited, 17–18 August 2021 Leaders are ambitious for all apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work in close partnership with organisations to provide effective specialist support for apprentices who need extra help.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have found it difficult to recruit trainer-assessors with the vocational experience they need. To overcome this, they identify suitable staff from within their existing workforce and train them in teaching and assessing.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders undertake a range of suitable quality checks, such as observations of training. They also gather feedback from apprentices about the quality of their experiences. Leaders use this information to complete an annual self-assessment and improvement plan that is sufficiently evaluative. Leaders’ oversight of their subcontract partner is appropriate.

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Reasonable progress

Members of the company’s executive team undertake a governance role. They meet every month to review relevant information about the quality of apprentices’ training. As a result, they challenge the apprenticeship team and hold them to account well.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices who are new to their roles develop a wide range of new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices who are existing employees gain new knowledge that helps them to recognise the reasons why they do particular tasks. For example, apprentices understand the legislation and regulations that govern the decontamination of medical instruments.

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Reasonable progress

Managers plan training carefully and in detail. Plans describe the topics apprentices should learn and place them in a logical order. Trainer-assessors use these plans, but make adjustments to take into account apprentices’ specific job roles. For example, some apprentices study specialist units on endoscopy equipment.

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Reasonable progress

In their off-the-job time, apprentices participate in a range of learning activities that include training, independent study and shadowing colleagues. Work shadowing is particularly useful to them as it links well to what they study. However, apprentices have to learn too much through independent research. As a result, they waste study time finding information that they could be taught.

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Reasonable progress

Trainer-assessors’ assessment of apprentices’ knowledge relies on oral questions. In a few cases, questions are not precise enough to really explore whether apprentices understand a topic. Trainer-assessors do not make enough use of assessment to help apprentices to strengthen their recall of information.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices who need to complete functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics enjoy and benefit from their lessons with a subcontractor. They Monitoring visit: Synergy Health (UK) Limited, 17–18 August 2021 successfully gain these qualifications. Apprentices also develop their English and mathematical skills well through the vocational elements of their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Line managers receive weekly updates on the progress of their apprentices and contribute well to progress reviews. Apprentices benefit from the allocation of appropriately trained workplace mentors who support them with their welfare and study.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices understand the requirements of their final assessments and the grades available to them. Staff provide them with a useful handbook that details the assessment process.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and staff undertake timely and appropriate safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. As a result, line managers, mentors and trainer-assessors are quick to identify any concerns with their apprentices. Staff deal swiftly with referrals, keep accurate records, liaise effectively with external agencies and provide apprentices with appropriate support.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know whom to contact if they have any concerns for their safety either in work or their personal life. They feel safe in their workplaces and understand clearly the wide-ranging health and safety procedures that they must follow.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders monitor and update the ‘Prevent’ action plan monthly. They share relevant updates with staff and apprentices about risks relevant to the localities in which they live and work. Apprentices complete useful training on fundamental British values and the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. Most apprentices recall these values and can discuss their relevance. For example, apprentices discuss the polarised views surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Monitoring visit: Synergy Health (UK) Limited, 17–18 August 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

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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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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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