Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustOfsted report card, 22 Sept 2026

Trust

Address: Education Centre 1, Royal Preston Hospital, Sharoe Green Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9HT Unique reference number (URN): 52919

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture where apprentices, including those with barriers to their learning, feel supported. They encourage apprentices to disclose any learning difficulties or disabilities, and temporary barriers to learning that may arise. Tutors discuss support requirements with apprentices, including prior to induction.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors quickly and accurately identify any potential barriers to apprentices’ learning. They work with apprentices to identify the strategies that apprentices already use to reduce and mitigate those barriers. Tutors generally use this information well to plan training and support. They ensure that apprentices get swift access to the resources and support that they need to succeed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors receive suitable training to help them identify and provide apprentices with support to reduce barriers to learning. Tutors complete training for supporting special educational needs and/or disabilities and use tools, such as artificial intelligence, to help them to adapt and modify how they support apprentices.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors mostly review and adapt the support that they provide as apprentices develop their confidence, competence and independence. However, in a few instances, they provide help and support on an informal basis rather than through a well-planned systematic approach.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors ensure that the apprenticeships that they provide are relevant to the training priorities of the Trust and provide the local communities they serve with employment opportunities. Leaders work with key stakeholders within the trust to design effective curriculums to meet the challenges of recruitment and skills shortages within the Trust.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the strengths and areas for development of the apprenticeship provision well. They use information from a range of quality improvement processes to take broadly appropriate actions to improve the quality of training that apprentices receive. Leaders have provided targeted professional development for tutors to keep their subject knowledge up to date. However, leaders do not provide a wider programme of professional development that supports tutors to continually strengthen their teaching skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders monitor the work of their subcontractor effectively. They review apprentices’ progress and attendance frequently. Leaders use this information and feedback from apprentices to assure themselves of the quality of this training. Those responsible for governance have a range of experience and expertise in the healthcare and education sectors. Board members use information from reports to provide effective scrutiny and challenge to leaders on aspects such as their inclusive culture. However, leaders recognise that these reports have too much emphasis on compliance and they are making improvements to focus them on the quality of training that apprentices receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders carefully monitor their staff’s workload and wellbeing. They provide staff with flexible working arrangements and access to the Trust’s health and wellbeing teams which makes them feel valued. Staff receive emails advertising a range of resources and specific support groups, such as on menopause awareness.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices, including those with barriers to their learning, make extensive progress from their starting points. Most apprentices complete their apprenticeship with over two thirds achieving a distinction grade.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their job roles. They gain the confidence to conduct observations, check oxygen levels and dress wounds early in their apprenticeship. Apprentices complete highly relevant research that impacts on the practice on the wards. For example, they present findings on male suicide prevention that are now adopted in clinical settings.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices are very well prepared for their next steps. Most remain in employment with the Trust, with almost a third of those progressing to a higher-level role. The very few that leave the hospital, go on to advanced-level study at university to pursue their career aspirations, such as nursing degrees.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of the education that they provide. Their actions improve the training that apprentices receive. For example, tutors have completed training to develop their skills in providing effective feedback. Apprentices now receive clear guidance that helps them to improve their work and prepare for their final assessments.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders carefully sequence the curriculums so that apprentices build their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. Senior healthcare support worker apprentices are taught how to use breakaway techniques to promote safe practice within healthcare settings. They then progress to developing a range of clinical skills, including recording physiological measurements and obtaining specimens.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are well-qualified clinical specialists who use their expertise to explain complex topics clearly. They mostly use effective teaching strategies to link theory to workplace practice. Apprentices studying the learning and skills mentor apprenticeship benefit from group discussions and roleplays which deepen their understanding of mentoring techniques. On the level 3 senior healthcare worker apprenticeship, tutors use scenarios skilfully to check that apprentices understand what they are being taught and apply theory accurately to clinical practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors ensure teaching is accessible for all apprentices. They adapt training materials appropriately, including simplifying complex terminology for apprentices who speak English as an additional language. As apprentices develop their understanding, tutors introduce more complex terms. This helps apprentices develop their technical vocabulary and use it accurately in the workplace.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of their apprentices. Apprentices are committed to their learning and attendance is high. They conduct themselves professionally in taught sessions and in the workplace. Apprentices show respect for peers, patients and families, demonstrating the Trust’s values. When providing care or discussing sensitive issues, such as organ donation, apprentices explain how to communicate with compassion, respect and empathy.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from a positive and safe learning environment where bullying and harassment are not tolerated. They develop a secure understanding of physical safety, control and restraint which helps them to work safely in high-risk clinical environments.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most apprentices take part in meaningful opportunities that broaden their interests and help to contribute to the wider community. They volunteer and support fund-raising events, such as for the Children’s Air Ambulance service. They access additional training, including acute illness management and tasters in areas such as paramedic practice.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices receive effective careers education, advice and guidance. They listen to guest speakers and gain experience in working across a range of wards and clinical settings. This helps apprentices broaden their knowledge of future career pathways and higher-level study courses available to them.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices enjoy their studies. They appreciate the sense of community where they feel supported and listened to in lessons. Tutors put in place useful adaptations so that learners with barriers to learning can participate fully. Apprentices feel comfortable to share their experiences from different wards and functions discussing patients’ needs and care. This helps apprentices develop a broader understanding of a patient’s journey.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices are motivated to learn and appreciate the range of placements that they complete. They spend time working in areas such as burns and plastics, major trauma, paediatrics and tissue viability nursing. This helps apprentices to understand the varied roles within the Trust, providing them with the transferable knowledge and skills that they need to be successful in their job roles.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices value the support that they receive from their tutors and their mentors. When experiencing traumatic incidents, they value highly the care that is shown to them. They benefit from instant debriefs and also conversations at a later time to provide them with the space to process and reflect on the incident. Mentors ensure that appropriate support is put in place.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Most apprentices value the opportunity to learn about topics wider than their apprenticeship. They have a secure understanding of fundamental British values which they apply well in their clinical settings. Senior healthcare support worker apprentices are respectful of patients’ rights to refuse medication and respect their patients’ culture and beliefs when discussing blood transfusions.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices develop their confidence as they learn. Learning and skills mentor apprentices strengthen their communication skills enabling them to help student nurses develop their clinical skills. They explain and demonstrate procedures, such as the safe insertion of portacaths, and confidently hold difficult conversations with colleagues who do not demonstrate the expected professional behaviours on the wards.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop the information that governors receive so that they can challenge leaders to further strengthen the quality of training that apprentices receive. Leaders should strengthen the professional development that they provide so that staff receive a programme of continuous training to enhance their teaching skills. Leaders should ensure that tutors systematically review and adapt the support that they provide to their apprentices.

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Lead inspector:

Alison Humphreys, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Victoria Wickington, Ofsted Inspector Andy Gadsdon, His Majesty's Inspector Alastair Mollon, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with leaders, tutors, apprentices, mentors, governors and staff at the subcontractor during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an employer provider that operates in Preston and the surrounding area in northwest England. The trust runs the Royal Preston Hospital and the Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 81 apprentices in learning, of whom fewer than 5 were aged 16 to 18. There were 40 apprentices studying the level 4 learning and skills mentor, 40 were studying the level 3 senior healthcare support worker and fewer than 5 apprentices were studying the level 2 healthcare support worker. There were 20 apprentices enrolled on functional skills English and mathematics qualifications.

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About this inspection

Leaders work with one subcontractor, Competence Development Limited, which provides training to apprentices completing their functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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