Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating a highly successful outcome following an inspection of its apprenticeship training provision by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted).
The inspection, which took place between 22 - 25 September 2026, found the Trust to be operating at either strong or expected standards across all areas of the new Ofsted inspection framework. In particular, the Trust achieved a strong judgement for apprentice achievement, recognising the excellent outcomes apprentices consistently achieve and the significant progress they make throughout their programmes.
The inspection confirmed that the Trust is meeting expected standards in inclusion, leadership and governance, curriculum and teaching, and participation and development.
Under the new inspection framework, an expected standard means that a provider is delivering all aspects of training to a high standard, while a strong standard recognises areas of particularly effective and consistently excellent practice.
The inspection focused on the Trust's apprenticeship programmes, including the Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker, Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker and Level 4 Learning and Skills Mentor apprenticeships.
Highlights from the report include:
Strong achievement outcomes
- Most apprentices complete their programmes successfully, with more than two-thirds achieving a distinction grade.
- Apprentices make extensive progress from their starting points and quickly develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to excel in their roles.
Outstanding employment and career progression
- Most apprentices remain employed within the Trust on completion of their programme.
- Almost a third progress into higher-level roles, while others continue their education through university-level study, including nursing degree programmes.
Performance well above national averages
- The Trust's apprenticeship achievement rates have remained consistently above the national average over the past three years.
- Achievement rates reached 85% in 2024/25, compared with a national average of 65%.
- Apprenticeship pass rates have been 100% in each of the last three reporting years.
High-quality teaching and support
- Ofsted recognised tutors as experienced clinical specialists who explain complex topics clearly and effectively connect learning to workplace practice.
- Apprentices benefit from a positive, safe and inclusive learning environment, with support tailored to meet individual needs.
Making a difference to patient care
- Apprentices complete research and quality improvement projects that directly influence clinical practice, including work on male suicide prevention that has been adopted within clinical settings.
- Apprentices consistently demonstrate professionalism, compassion and respect, reflecting the Trust's values in practice.
Positive apprentice experience
- Apprentices described feeling supported, listened to and valued throughout their learning journey.
- They highlighted the quality of mentoring, the breadth of clinical placements available and the support they receive following challenging or traumatic incidents.
Dr Neil Pease, Chief People Officer at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said: "These findings are a fantastic endorsement of the commitment, expertise and support provided by colleagues across the Trust. Our apprenticeship programmes are helping people build rewarding careers while developing the skilled workforce we need to deliver outstanding care for our patients and communities."
"We are particularly proud that Ofsted recognised the exceptional progress our apprentices make, the quality of teaching and support they receive and the impact their learning is having on patient care. Achieving a strong judgement for apprentice achievement is a significant accomplishment and reflects the dedication of our apprentices, educators, mentors and clinical teams."
You can read the report online here.
