North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

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Inspection dates: 29 July to 1 August 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) is an employer provider with headquarters in Bolton. Apprentices complete the level 4 associate ambulance practitioner (AAP) apprenticeship to become Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT1s).

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 309 apprentices at NWAS. Almost all apprentices were over 18. Apprentices attend a 14-week off-the-job clinical education training course at centres in Preston, Bolton, Liverpool and Manchester, before completing their practical emergency response driver training. They then move to ambulance stations across the North West to complete their on-the-job training as a member of an ambulance crew. 29 July to 1 August 2025

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

Apprentices fully embrace the NWAS values of working together and making a difference. They take pride in their work and treat every patient interaction as an opportunity to make a positive change. Apprentices highly value the chance to support their communities. They find their training and work rewarding, demanding and varied.

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

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours early in their training. They make informed decisions quickly to make sure that patients get the right care at the right time. Apprentices learn swiftly how to drive emergency vehicles safely and competently at speed. They develop a caring manner to ensure patient welfare. Apprentices become compassionate, caring medical professionals.

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

Apprentices quickly develop positive and respectful relationships with their peers, colleagues, educators and patients. They build their resilience and control their emotions during traumatic incidents, learning from the experienced team members that they work alongside. Apprentices become confident in knowing what to do in time-critical situations. They treat patients as individuals and respond empathetically to their emotional, social and medical needs.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe operationally. They know how to report any concerns and are confident that those concerns will be taken seriously. Following attendance at traumatic or dangerous calls, senior colleagues routinely check on their welfare and well-being.

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better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance have a clear rationale for offering the AAP apprenticeship. They recognise the important role that EMT1s have in ensuring a high-quality emergency service and the need to provide a practical route into the profession.

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better?

Leaders plan a bespoke and ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of the service. They plan off-the-job training in a logical order. During the clinical education phase, apprentices visit ambulance stations to get an insight into how theory is put into practice, learning the differences between working on a mannequin and a real patient. They qualify in emergency response driving before moving to in-practice training as ambulance crew. Apprentices benefit from high-quality training throughout their apprenticeship.

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better?

Educators are well qualified dual professionals. They hold teaching certificates, assessor qualifications and have completed paramedic degrees and advanced training in critical care. Educators have extensive vocational experience, which they use to bring classroom learning to life. Driving instructors (DIs) use their expertise to support apprentices to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills of advanced driving at speed. Leaders plan staff development activities that help 29 July to 1 August 2025

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improve teaching practices and ensure the team maintains and enhances its occupational expertise, professional registrations and licences to practice.

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Clinical education practitioners (CEPs) and DIs use teaching strategies effectively to build apprentices’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills. They use repetition and recap activities so that apprentices know more and remember more. CEPs reinforce the use of mnemonics such as ‘SOCRATES’ (site, onset, character, radiation, associated symptoms, timing, exacerbating/relieving factors, and severity) so that apprentices record key information and explore symptoms during patient assessment. DIs help apprentices recall previous learning on advanced driving such as the principles of cornering, influences on speed and hazard perception.

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CEPs, DIs and practice education practitioners (PEPs) use effective assessments to check what apprentices know and can do. They observe practical simulations, apprentices’ commentary on practical tasks and their completion of workbooks to secure understanding. PEPs travel with apprentices on ambulances to see them apply their knowledge and skills at work.

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Apprentices with identified learning needs are well supported by CEPs and PEPs. They use adaptive resources and access arrangements effectively to mitigate barriers to learning. Leaders provide independent assessments of apprentices’ needs to understand how best to support neurodiverse apprentices. These apprentices make progress at least in line with their peers.

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CEPs, PEPs and DIs mostly provide developmental feedback, identifying what apprentices have done well and what they need to do to improve. Apprentices act on the feedback they receive and become better at their jobs. However, the feedback that apprentices receive from a few paramedics and senior paramedics is variable. In some instances, paramedics debrief apprentices thoroughly after call- outs to review their performance. In other instances, apprentices receive minimal feedback and do not always know how they could improve their practice.

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Line managers do not always attend apprentices’ progress reviews. They do not capture the fullest picture of apprentices’ progress in practice or where they could be challenged and supported further to rectify any skills gaps. Apprentices’ targets are often focused on the completion of tasks and evidence gathering, not the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to develop or refine.

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A high proportion of apprentices achieve their apprenticeship, gain high grades in their final assessments and become qualified EMT1s. However, leaders rightly recognise a need to make sure that apprentices who fall behind catch up quickly. Apprentices who have not completed their apprenticeship on time benefit from additional interventions and time with PEPs and paramedic learning facilitators to help them catch up.

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Apprentices are prepared well for their next steps. PEPs and CEPs discuss career pathways with apprentices and encourage them to attend additional courses to broaden their knowledge and skills. Apprentices know about their potential career 29 July to 1 August 2025

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progression routes to become paramedics, advanced or senior paramedics, and pathways into the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services.

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Those responsible for governance at every level have an accurate oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship and the impact on the wider organisation. They receive useful reports on all aspects of the apprenticeship that they use to challenge operational senior leaders to bring about improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide developmental feedback to apprentices on their performance during on- the-job learning.  Ensure that line managers routinely attend apprentices’ progress reviews to capture progress in practice fully and to set targets for the continued development of apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship within the planned time. 29 July to 1 August 2025

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Address

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust Headquarters Ladybridge Hall 399 Chorley New Road Bolton BL1 5DD

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Address

Principal, CEO or equivalent Salman Desai

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Address

Date of previous inspection 12 to 15 November 2019

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Address

Main subcontractors None 29 July to 1 August 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant director for workforce and organisational 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

Alastair Mollon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Suzanne Wainwright His Majesty’s Inspector Zoe Ibbotson His Majesty’s Inspector Maria Rayworth Ofsted Inspector Steve Ingle Ofsted Inspector 29 July to 1 August 2025

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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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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