Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Inspection of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

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Inspection dates: 21 to 23 September 2021

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) provides support services for mental health, learning disabilities and eating disorders. The trust was founded in 2006 and has since grown to provide support across County Durham, the Tees Valley, York and North Yorkshire. TEWV began teaching levy-funded apprentices from within the trust in 2017.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 196 apprentices on five programmes. Just under half of the apprentices are studying the level 3 senior healthcare worker standard. There are 38 apprentices studying the level 5 operations/departmental manager standard, and 41 apprentices studying the level 3 team leader/supervisor standard. TEWV subcontracts the teaching of parts of the business administration programmes to Hartlepool College. Currently, there are seven apprentices studying the level 4 business administrator framework and 14 apprentices studying the level 3 business administration standard. TEWV subcontracts the teaching of functional skills to Hartlepool College, The Education and Training Collective, and York College. All apprentices are aged 18 or over. 21 to 23 September 2021

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

Leaders and tutors do not identify well enough the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices have at the start of their programme. All apprentices on each programme study the same content, regardless of what they already know and can do. Therefore, too many apprentices only reinforce what they already know.

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

Apprentices do not receive enough information about the opportunities available to them after they finish their apprenticeship. Although a few apprentices receive useful advice and guidance in the final meeting with their tutor prior to leaving the programme, too many do not know how to develop their career or learning further.

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

Trust leaders provide apprentices with a wide range of helpful information on how to keep themselves safe. Staff provide general information about current concerns, such as knife crime and cuckooing (a practice in which people take over someone’s home and use it for the purposes of exploitation). However, staff do not include in the curriculum specific information about local risks. As a result, too few apprentices are well enough informed about risks they may face in their local area.

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

Apprentices receive useful guidance on the use of language, particularly in the context of managing difficult situations. This helps them to increase their confidence and become more resilient. For example, apprentices on the level 5 operations/departmental manager standard develop strategies to deal with awkward situations involving service users in their workplace.

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

Apprentices are well motivated and keen to learn. They know that the way in which they carry out their job role can improve patient services and care. For example, apprentices on the level 3 senior healthcare worker standard take on the role of advocate to raise awareness of the needs of individuals with disabilities.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices follow a programme that covers all elements of the apprenticeship standard. They focus too heavily on the completion of the diploma qualification element of the programme, and do not plan a suitably integrated programme of on- and off-the-job training for apprentices. Although apprentices can make the link between theoretical concepts and the work of the NHS trust, too few apprentices can successfully apply knowledge from the taught part of the programme to their workplace.

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better?

Leaders and tutors do not give apprentices appropriate advice and guidance at the start of their programme. Tutors conduct meetings with apprentices, but this is about the apprentices’ current job roles rather than their development needs and aspirations. Too many apprentices are not informed well enough about the programme to which they sign up. Some business administration apprentices enrol on programmes based on the grade band of their job role rather than their individual development needs. 21 to 23 September 2021

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Leaders and tutors do not systematically involve apprentices’ line managers in discussions about the progress that apprentices make towards the completion of the apprenticeship standard. While a few managers attend review meetings with apprentices and their tutors, the feedback that apprentices receive at reviews is too vague and simply covers general performance at work. Therefore, apprentices do not have a good enough understanding of how well they are applying their knowledge in the workplace.

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Tutors do not use assessment well enough to inform their teaching or to support apprentices to improve. They do not check apprentices’ learning well enough and focus too much on apprentices completing assignments to satisfy the requirements of diploma units. As a result, apprentices do not know what they need to do to improve their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time.

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Leaders and managers do not have enough oversight of the progress that apprentices make. Leaders have recently introduced new reporting systems, but they have been too slow to react when apprentices fall behind. Consequently, too many apprentices make slow progress and do not complete their programme on time.

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Leaders and tutors are over-reliant on subcontractors for the supervision of apprentices who need to complete functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics. Too often, TEWV tutors simply check that apprentices who need functional skills qualifications have enrolled on appropriate courses. Therefore, TEWV leaders do not know the extent to which apprentices are developing the knowledge and skills required to achieve the qualifications.

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Leaders do not take swift enough action to rectify weaknesses in the apprenticeship programmes that they offer. They have not identified systemic weaknesses in the provision or taken sufficient action to address weaknesses identified at the new provider monitoring visit in 2018.

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Leaders have recently introduced new governance structures as they rightly recognise the need for increased oversight of apprenticeship programmes. A people and culture committee is now in place, which will review the quality of the apprenticeship programmes and provide reports to the full board. However, it is too early to evaluate the effectiveness of these new measures.

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Leaders recruit staff who have skills and expertise relevant to the areas that they teach. All teaching staff have experience of working in settings relevant to their subject and most are well qualified. Almost all teaching staff have teaching and assessing qualifications. Operations/departmental management tutors use their subject expertise well to teach useful content, such as organisational development and budgeting.

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Leaders support staff well to update their industry-related expertise. For example, tutors who teach the level 3 senior healthcare worker standard have completed training in restraint techniques and suicide awareness so they can better support 21 to 23 September 2021

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apprentices. However, leaders do not provide adequate training for staff on what constitutes an apprenticeship.

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Tutors who teach apprentices on the level 5 operations/departmental manager standard use online learning methods well to help apprentices recap their learning. For example, they use resources such as a digital interactive whiteboard to support apprentices effectively to share ideas and capture their working notes. Apprentices value these opportunities for collaboration as a way to enhance their learning experience.

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Trust leaders provide all staff, including apprentices, with a wide range of useful information to support their health and well-being. Apprentices can access support groups for bereavement, empathy training, and resources about nutrition, sleep and mindfulness.

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Leaders and tutors create an inclusive and supportive learning environment in which apprentices contribute well to debate and discussion. Leaders provide all staff, including apprentices, with regular opportunities to promote inclusion and celebrate diversity. For example, apprentices have the opportunity to take part in Pride events and to join support groups for staff from different backgrounds.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders successfully implement policies that require all staff, including apprentices, to complete a wide range of training on safeguarding when they join the trust. Apprentices know how to report concerns, including bullying and harassment and those raised through whistle-blowing.

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Safeguarding

However, managers do not assure themselves that apprentices receive the full range of information that they need about safeguarding. Leaders take appropriate steps to recruit staff who are suitable to work with apprentices who may be vulnerable adults. They have clear processes for the collection of references and check for any gaps in previous employment.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Identify the existing knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices have and use this information to plan a curriculum that meets the developmental needs of individual apprentices.  Work more closely with apprentices’ managers to plan a well-integrated programme of on- and off-the-job training so that apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to complete the whole apprenticeship standard, perform their job role well, and progress to their chosen next steps. 21 to 23 September 2021

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 Improve oversight of the progress that apprentices make, including in the workplace, so that staff can act quickly to provide effective support to apprentices who fall behind.  Improve the quality of information, advice and guidance given to apprentices throughout their programme to ensure that apprentices know what to expect and the options available to them when they complete their apprenticeship.  Make better use of assessment to identify what apprentices do well and what they need to improve.  Develop and implement processes to identify and oversee the progress of apprentices who are following courses leading to functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics with subcontractors. 21 to 23 September 2021

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Provider details

Address Flatts Lane Centre Flatts Lane Normanby Middlesbrough TS6 0SZ

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Principal/CEO

Sarah Dexter-Smith (Director for People and Culture)

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Principal/CEO

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Principal/CEO

Main subcontractor Hartlepool College 21 to 23 September 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of workforce development, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection 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 visiting 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

Andrea Shepherd, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear Her Majesty’s Inspector Chloe Rendall Her Majesty’s Inspector 21 to 23 September 2021

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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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