Argyll House Nursing Home
Recorded Key Question grade range: 3–4 — Adequate View on Care Inspectorate
Key Question scores
Requirements & recommendations
1. By 26 April 2026, the provider must demonstrate that service users experience consistently good outcomes, and that quality assurance and improvement is well led. In order to do this, the provider must ensure at a minimum: a) implement a quality assurance system to ensure that effective evaluation and monitoring of service provision informs improvement and development of the service. b) that clinical governance systems effectively record details of clinical risk and the measures in place to minimise risk. c) that action plans to address issues identified are fully developed following audits. c) that actions taken are reviewed to ensure that they effectively improve outcomes for service users. d) that staff completing quality audits have knowledge and understanding of the scope of quality assessment. e) develop effective communication pathways between nursing staff, heads of departments and the management team. f) improve communication pathways between
1. To support people living with dementia to experience improved wellbeing and responsive care, the provider should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills to meet their needs. This should include, but is not limited to, implementing a comprehensive training plan aligned with the Promoting Excellence Framework, including supporting people experiencing stress and distress and delivering meaningful, person-centred activities. Consideration should also be given to enhanced level training for senior staff to support leadership in practice. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled’ (HSCS 3.14) and ‘I experience care and support that is right for me’ (HSCS 1.19).
2. To improve people’s experience of meaningful engagement and social interaction, the provider should ensure that communal areas are used in a purposeful and inclusive way throughout the day. This should include developing clear expectations for daily routines, regularly evaluating how communal spaces are used, and ensuring that lounges are attractive environments where people of all abilities can take part in meaningful social experiences. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘I can choose to have an active life and participate in a range of activities every day’ (HSCS 1.25) and ‘I am supported to make choices about how I spend my time’ (HSCS 1.34).
3. To support people’s comfort and wellbeing, the provider should ensure that pain is effectively assessed and managed. This should include ensuring that people who are prescribed regular or ‘as required’ pain medication have their pain and the effectiveness of their treatment regularly assessed using recognised pain assessment tools. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘I am as comfortable and pain free as possible’ (HSCS 1.32) and ‘My health and wellbeing needs are met’ (HSCS 1.19).
4. To support people’s health and wellbeing, the provider should ensure that monitoring records are accurate, complete and used effectively to inform care. This should include ensuring that monitoring charts, such as those relating to food and fluid intake, are consistently completed and that robust quality assurance processes are in place to review and act on this information. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘My personal plan is right for me because it sets out how my needs will be met’ (HSCS 1.15) and ‘My care and support is consistent and coordinated’ (HSCS 3.19).
5. To reduce the risk of infection and promote people’s safety, the provider should ensure that infection prevention and control practices are applied consistently. This should include strengthening staff practice in the correct use of personal protective equipment and ensuring that personal care equipment is appropriately cleaned. Effective quality assurance should be in place to monitor these practices and drive sustained improvement. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘I am protected from harm, including infection’ (HSCS 1.20) and ‘I am cared for by people who take my safety seriously’ (HSCS 3.20).
1. To ensure people experience consistently safe, high-quality and person-centred care, the provider should strengthen leadership at all levels within the service. This should include, but is not limited to, developing clear expectations for leadership roles, supporting staff to take responsibility for leading good practice in day-to-day care, and embedding effective oversight to ensure improvements are consistently implemented and sustained. This should be supported by regular evaluation of practice and the impact of leadership on outcomes for people. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards which state: ‘I benefit from a culture of continuous improvement, with the organisation having robust and transparent quality assurance processes’ (HSCS 4.19) and ‘I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice’ (HSCS 1.27). To ensure staffing arrangements are consistently appropriate, transparent and sustainable, the provider should implement and embed a formal Staffing Method Framework (SMF) approach for regular, evidence based assessment and review of staffing levels and deployment, including clear recording of professional judgement and the impact of staffing decisions on activity provision and contingency arrangements. This should include, but is not limited to: a) establishing a structured SMF cycle that brings together evidence about people’s needs, workload and risk, alongside qualitative information reflecting professional judgement, and documenting how this evidence informs staffing establishment, daily deployment and any adjustments made b) routinely recording professional judgement decisions about staffing c) systematically capturing and evidencing relevant inputs to staffing assessment and review, including feedback. d) aligning contingency planning to the SMF process, so that when staf1. To ensure people experience safe, responsive and effective care, the provider should ensure that care plans for health needs are comprehensive, pers
1. By 26 April 2026, the provider must support people's wellbeing and promote good mental and physical health. To do this, the provider must at a minimum: a) enhance the range and access to meaningful activities, ensuring they reflect people's choices, preferences, and abilities. b) plan training to support staff to develop their skills regarding engaging with people living with dementia. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1) (a) and (b) of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210). This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes' (HSCS 3.14) and 'I can choose to have an active life and participate in a range of recreational, social2. By 22 February 2026 the provider must ensure that medication is managed safely and in line with best practice guidance. To do this, the provider must at a minimum: a) ensure that all staff responsible for the management of medication undertake relevant training and competency assessments for safe medication management. b) assess the impact training has had on staff practice. c) ensure that 'as needed' medication is regularly reviewed to assess whether it is still effective. d) improve the management and record keeping of all medication. e) improve the management of topical medication. f) ensure that there are appropriate systems in place to assess and monitor the management of all medication in the service. This is in order to comply with Regulation 4(1)(a) and Regulation 15(b)(i) of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements1. By 26 April 2026, the provider must demonstrate that service users experience consistently good outcomes, and that quality assurance and improvement is well led. In order to do this, the provider must ensure at a minimum: a) implement a quality assurance system to ensure that effective evaluation and monitoring of service provision informs improvement and development of the service. b) that clinical governance systems effectively record details of clinical risk and the measures in place to minimise risk. c) that action plans to address issues identified are fully developed following audits. c) that actions taken are reviewed to ensure that they effectively improve outcomes for service users. d) that staff completing quality audits have knowledge and understanding of the scope of quality assessment. e) develop effective communication pathways between nursing staff, heads of departments and the management team. f) improve communication pathwa1. By 22 February 2026, the provider must ensure that the right number of staff are in the right place, with the right skills, at the right time to fully support people's needs. In order to do this, the provider must at a minimum: a) implement an assessment tool which will consistently and effectively inform staffing across all teams working in the service. This must take account of the staffing method framework for adult care homes guidance and current statutory staffing guidance. b) regularly review the outcome of the assessment tool to ensure it consistently informs safe staffing within the service. c) implement robust contingency planning to manage absences and vacancies in staff teams. This is in order to comply with Regulation 15(a) of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210). This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which1. By 22 February 2026, the provider must demonstrate that they have plans to improve the environment of the home to ensure that people experience a high-quality care home environment. In order to do this, the provider must carry out a full assessment of the environment of the home internally and externally and use the outcome to inform an environmental improvement plan that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. The environmental improvement plan must be shared with the Care Inspectorate. This is to comply with Regulation 10 (2) of the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI2011/210). To ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that:
‘My environment is relaxed, welcoming, peaceful, and free from avoidable and intrusive noise and smells’ (HSCS 5.18) and ‘I experience an environment that is1. By 26 April 2026, the provider must ensure that service users and their representatives have the opportunity to attend care review meetings every six months to determine that the individual's health, welfare and safety needs are being effectively managed and met. This is to comply with Regulation 5 (2)(b) of the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI2011/210). This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I am fully involved in developing and reviewing my personal plan, which is always available to me’ (HSCS 2.17).
1. To assure consistently good outcomes for people the provider should develop team leaders' skills and knowledge to ensure effective day to day leadership of care staff teams. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes' (HSCS 3.14).
1. To support staff and promote best practice the provider should re-establish the schedule of regular supervision meetings for staff. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which states that: ‘I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes’ (HSCS 3.14).
2. To support staff and promote best practice the provider should re-establish the formal induction process for newly recruited staff. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which states that: ‘I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes’ (HSCS 3.14).