Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

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Inspection dates: 21 to 24 February 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK and employs over 28,000 staff. The trust consists of 10 hospitals and a range of specialist and community services providing health care to the people of Manchester and beyond.

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Information about this provider

MFT began providing levy-funded apprenticeships in 2017. At the time of inspection, 52 apprentices were enrolled on five standards-based apprenticeships. There has been a planned approach to reduce the number of new apprentices starting apprenticeships in response to the judgements from the requires improvement monitoring visit in July 2021 and the recommendations from the January 2020 inspection findings.

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Information about this provider

Of the 52 apprentices, 14 were studying the level 2 healthcare support worker, five the level 3 senior healthcare support worker and fewer than five the level 3 dental nurse (integrated) apprenticeship. There were 15 apprentices studying the level 3 business administrator and 15 the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship. All apprentices are over the age of 18. MFT no longer subcontracts any of its apprenticeship provision. 21 to 24 February 2023

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

Apprentices at MFT are highly motivated and enjoy their learning. They develop their confidence as they gain new knowledge and develop practical skills that they use in the workplace. Working in a busy hospital environment and meeting the demands of an apprenticeship helps them develop their resilience. Apprentices who remain on their apprenticeship achieve.

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

Apprentices value the support and encouragement that they receive from their tutor/assessors and workplace managers. They benefit from the support they receive as employees of the trust which provides them with a wide range of health and well-being services.

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

Apprentices receive training and information on fundamental British values. Tutor/assessors help apprentices understand how these values link to the values of MFT. Apprentices demonstrate them within their job roles and workplace settings, for example when delivering safe patient care and helping patients to make choices about their treatment. Apprentices benefit from learning and working in environments that promote inclusion. They model good practice with high levels of respect and tolerance.

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

Apprentices feel safe. They understand the importance of safe working practices and place a high priority on keeping patients safe. Apprentices understand the risks associated with extremist behaviours and radicalisation. They know how to recognise the signs and who to report their concerns to.

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

Apprentices’ attendance is not yet high across all apprenticeships. Attendance on healthcare support worker apprenticeships is too low.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale and vision for the apprenticeships that they offer at MFT. Since the previous inspection, leaders have reviewed and revised the apprenticeships that they offer. They have aligned the apprenticeship to the workforce development strategy and people plan to meet the workforce needs of the trust. Leaders and managers no longer mandate new staff to undertake the level 2 healthcare support worker apprenticeship.

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better?

Tutor/assessors plan and deliver the curriculum in a well-sequenced and logical order. Level 3 dental nurse and level 2 healthcare worker apprentices begin their training with the fundamentals of keeping staff and patients safe such as the importance of handwashing to avoid cross infection. They increase their knowledge over time to cover more specialised areas such as dealing with cavities in dental nursing and the importance of diet and nutrition in patient care. Apprentices on the level 3 business administrator apprenticeship quickly learn about the importance of confidentiality and protection of data when working within an NHS trust at the start of their apprenticeship. This helps apprentices understand their responsibilities in 21 to 24 February 2023

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Tutor/assessors are well qualified and have extensive industry knowledge. They use their subject expertise to provide apprentices with a variety of learning activities to help them to learn and remember more and apply their learning in their job roles.

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Apprentices gain significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their apprenticeship. For example, tutor/assessors on dental nurse programmes use skulls to help apprentices learn facial structures. Level 3 business administrator apprentices are taught how to produce presentations that are professional and conform to the trust’s corporate brand requirements. Level 2 healthcare support worker apprentices learn how to use different methods of communication and now use picture cards when working with patients with dementia and hearing impairments. This helps them provide high-quality patient care.

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Apprentices who require functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics are supported by specialist staff to help them improve their skills and ensure they are prepared for the qualifications needed to complete their apprenticeship. Most apprentices make good progress in the further development of their English and mathematical skills. For example, business administrator apprentices develop their mathematical and English skills when creating presentations and reports which include statistical information.

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Apprentices who have additional support needs receive effective individualised one- to-one support sessions. Apprentices who speak English as an additional language receive good support to develop their skills. They participate in sessions such as ‘conversation club’ to practise their speaking and listening skills. Apprentices value this extra support which helps them extend their vocabulary and improve their English skills so they become more confident and effective in their job roles.

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Most tutor/assessors provide apprentices with feedback that is detailed and constructive and which helps apprentices know what to do to improve their work. As a result, apprentices produce work that is well presented and of a high or very high standard. However, on level 2 and level 3 healthcare support worker apprenticeships, feedback to apprentices is inconsistent. A few apprentices do not receive enough guidance on how to improve their written work so they can achieve the highest possible grades in their final assessments.

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Tutor/assessors and line managers plan on- and off-the-job training for level 3 business administrator and level 3 team leader apprentices effectively. This enables apprentices to develop their knowledge further and practise applying their skills in the workplace. For example, business administrator apprentices improve their skills when taking minutes in meetings. However, the coordination of on- and off-the-job training for level 2 and level 3 healthcare support worker apprentices and level 3 dental nurse apprentices is not well planned. This limits opportunities for apprentices to quickly apply their new knowledge and skills in the workplace to ensure they can make swift progress towards their final assessments. 21 to 24 February 2023

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Managers and tutor/assessors gather information about apprentices’ starting points. However, their use of this information to monitor the progress that apprentices are making in their knowledge, skills and behaviours is inconsistent across apprenticeships.

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Leaders and managers have a range of quality assurance processes in place to monitor the quality of education. They use the outcomes of these processes to inform training for staff. For example, they have put in place training for tutor/assessors to ensure they are able to support apprentices to achieve high grades in their final assessments. The proportion of apprentices who have recently completed their final assessments and achieved high grades has increased.

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Apprentices receive effective careers advice and guidance. They have high aspirations to develop their careers further. For example, becoming orthodontic therapists or more senior managers within the trust. Apprentices are provided with information on the wide range of opportunities that exist within the trust through ‘Itchy Feet’ events which help leaders retain apprentices within the trust. Healthcare support workers receive presentations about progressing to nursing associate apprenticeships.

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Leaders carefully monitor staff’s caseloads and well-being. There are a range of policies and procedures in place to support staff. Staff benefit from the wide range of staff health and well-being services and activities provided by the trust such as counselling, walking club, yoga and cycle-to-work schemes. Staff feel well supported by their managers. They value the support services that the trust provides.

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The revised governance committee that has been put in place to oversee the apprenticeship provision has a clear understanding of the areas of strength and weaknesses of the provision. Members challenge and hold senior leaders to account for improving the quality of education and training that apprentices receive. The committee has diligently monitored the actions that have been put in place to bring about the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection and monitoring visit.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff place a high priority on safeguarding. There are policies and well- established procedures in place. As result, there is a strong culture of safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure there are trained designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) in place who are part of the wider safeguarding team that works across the trust. This provides the DSLs with further support and expertise to help keep apprentices safe. The safeguarding team provide staff and apprentices with updates through newsletters on issues such as knife crime and mental health.

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Safeguarding

All staff and apprentices carry out safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. 21 to 24 February 2023

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Apprentices receive additional training on topics such as domestic abuse and online safety. Apprentices and staff know how to raise any concerns they may have.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that tutor/assessors and workplace managers plan and coordinate on- and off-the-job training effectively so that all healthcare support worker and dental nurse apprentices can apply new knowledge and skills in the workplace swiftly.  Leaders should ensure that all tutor/assessors use the information they gather on apprentices’ starting points to help apprentices and their workplace managers monitor the progress they are making in developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Leaders should ensure that tutor/assessors provide all healthcare support worker apprentices with useful feedback on their written work that will help them improve their work further.  Leaders should ensure that attendance is high across all programmes, in particular the healthcare support worker apprenticeship. 21 to 24 February 2023

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Provider details

Address Cobbett House Trust Headquarters Oxford Rd Manchester M13 9WL

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Gill Heaton (Acting CEO)

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 14 to 17 January 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Not applicable 21 to 24 February 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of learning and education 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

Elaine Price, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Maria Rayworth Ofsted Inspector Amanda Kennedy Ofsted Inspector Dilys Taylor Ofsted Inspector Janine Archer Ofsted Inspector 21 to 24 February 2023

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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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