A healthcare workers' apprenticeship scheme run by the trust which administers hospital services for more than a million people across Greater Manchester has been told it 'requires improvement'. This follows the first full inspection by Ofsted into the programme launched by the Northern Care Alliance Alliance Foundation Trust in 2017.
The trust delivers health services across Salford, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, as well as providing more specialist services to patients from Greater Manchester and beyond. Patients may receive a range of health and social care services at their home or in their community or be treated in one of four of the trust's hospitals - Salford Royal, The Royal Oldham, Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield General in Bury.
The apprenticeship scheme was inspected from August 2 to 4 when it had 127 participants, on a range of courses like senior team leaders and supervisors and senior healthcare workers, all aged 19 or above. Some 37 were studying maths and 35 were learning English as part of their apprenticeship.
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The inspection took place on August 2 to 4 and found that the trust's vision to provide 'high-quality programmes for apprentices has not yet been fully realised'.
"Not all apprentices benefit from high-quality training," it said. "Leaders have not dealt with the inconsistencies in the standard of training that apprentices receive between different apprenticeships, departments and tutors."
It said the impact of the pandemic had affected the capacity of leaders at the trust to improve the quality of apprenticeships as there are still staff shortages and absences in key areas.
Bosses ensure they select staff who are well-qualified in their field, providing a range of development opportunities for tutors, the report went on.
They complete industrial updating, higher-level qualifications and digital delivery training, resulting in tutors having the most up-to-date subject knowledge and subject experience, it said.
"However, leaders have not ensured that all tutors have had training on using apprentices' starting points when planning the curriculum or in giving helpful feedback to apprentices," it continued.
"Leaders do not ensure that initial advice and guidance support all apprentices to access the correct pathway," it said. " For example, because of the duties of the role, apprentices on the allied health care pathway are unable to assist in clinical tasks.
"Therefore, a change of pathway was required to provide them with the opportunity to achieve the apprenticeship. Too often the curriculum plan for healthcare apprentices is changed due to workload pressures and staff absences. This means apprentices fall behind in their studies."
The overall effectiveness of the scheme was said by the inspection team to 'require improvement' was judged to be 'good' for behaviour and attitudes and personal development. In the categories of leadership and management and apprenticeships, it was also said to 'require improvement'.
A number of recommendations were made for the trust to improve the scheme. These were:
- Leaders and governors should ensure that 'rigorous quality improvement strategies are implemented and closely monitored so that inconsistency in the quality of education between the different apprenticeships is swiftly eradicated'.
- Leaders should ensure staff provide effective initial advice and guidance so the apprentices can access the correct standard pathway. They should also make sure that apprentices learn about the wider options available to them for further study or job opportunities.
- They should ensure that tutors use accurate information about apprentices' starting points to plan an ambitious and individualised curriculum.
- Leaders should ensure that the on-and-off-the-job training is effectively coordinated. Tutors should routinely involve apprentices' line managers in the review and planning of their progress towards developing their knowledge, skills and behaviour at work.
Responding to the report, Nicky Clarke, chief of people at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were pleased to receive the report findings, which is our first full Ofsted inspection since becoming an Employer-Provider in 2017 for internal apprenticeships.
“The inspection highlighted the areas that we as provider identified within our self-assessment report and for which we have an action plan in place and are already seeing improvements.
“We’re pleased the report highlights many positive aspects including how we align our apprentice standards to the trust’s core values and how our apprentices treat each other and their patients with respect and dignity and this is embedded in everything we do.
“Inspectors also acknowledged that although the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic had indeed been felt, tutors provided additional support to apprentices to minimise the effect on learner progress.
“We are delighted that to date 14 per cent of our apprentices have achieved a distinction, 66 per cent a merit, and 20 per cent a pass.”
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