Aberdonia Care Limited
Recorded Key Question grade range: 3–4 — Adequate View on Care Inspectorate
Key Question scores
Requirements & recommendations
1. To support people’s health and wellbeing, the provider should ensure people are consistently supported to receive their medication as prescribed and in line with their individual needs. This should include, but not be limited to, ensuring guidance for the use of ‘as required’ medication is person-specific and that medication records clearly evidence the rationale for administration and monitoring of effectiveness, particularly where people are unable to clearly express their needs. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state: ‘My care and support meets my needs and is right for me’ (HSCS 1.19) and ‘I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled’ (HSCS 3.14).
2. To ensure people experience compassionate, confident and consistent end-of-life and palliative care, the provider should strengthen staff confidence and consistency in this area. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state: ‘I am supported to have an end of life experience that is as positive as possible’ (HSCS 1.22) and ‘I experience warmth, kindness and compassion in my care’ (HSCS 4.11).
1. To support improved outcomes for people, the provider should ensure the service improvement plan is actively used and that people using the service and staff are meaningfully involved in shaping improvement activity. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state: ‘I am involved in all decisions about my care and support’ (HSCS 1.23) and ‘I experience continuous improvement in the quality of care and support that I receive’ (HSCS 4.19).
1. To support people to plan their days and feel confident about who will be providing their care, the provider should ensure people and families receive clear, timely information about who will attend and when. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS), which state that: “I know who provides my care and support on a day to day basis and what they are expected to do.” (HSCS 3.11) and “People have time to support and care for me and to speak with me.” (HSCS 3.16)
1. By 02 March 2026, to ensure people’s care and support needs are met safely and effectively, the provider must ensure people’s health and wellbeing needs are appropriately met. To achieve this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) ensure people receive timely and correct support with essential wellbeing needs, including nutrition, hydration, medication and personal care b) ensure staff have clear, accurate and up-to-date information about each person’s health needs c) ensure changes in people’s health are recognised, recorded and responded to promptly, including through timely liaison with relevant professionals d) ensure end of life care is planned and delivered in a way that protects people’s dignity, comfort and safety. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(b) of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210). This is to ensure care is consistent with the1. By 02 March 2026, to ensure people’s care and support needs are met safely and effectively, the provider must implement and use robust quality assurance systems to monitor, evaluate and improve people’s support. To achieve this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) implement reliable systems to monitor delivery of care, including oversight of late, short and missed visits b) ensure audits of all relevant areas of care and service delivery, including personal plans, reviews, daily notes, medication records, and staff practice c) ensure complaints, adult support and protection concerns, and accidents and incidents are recorded, analysed and used to inform service-wide learning and improvement d) ensure the improvement plan is current, measurable and addresses identified risks, including rapid growth and changes in recording and monitoring systems e) implement a robust safer recruitment process which ensures all required preemployment checks have been completed1. By 16 February 2026, to ensure people’s care and support needs are met safely and effectively, the provider must ensure people receive the right support at the right time and for the agreed duration. To achieve this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) ensure visits take place at agreed and appropriate times, and that any late, short or missed visits are identified and responded to without delay b) ensure people and families know who is attending and when, including through timely rotas and clear communication about any changes c) ensure staff have the information they need about each visit, including any changes to planned times or required tasks d) ensure operational arrangements allow prompt action to resolve missed, late or short visits and prevent repeat occurrences. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1)(a) of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210). This2. By 02 March 2026, to ensure people’s care and support needs are met safely and effectively, the provider must ensure staff are competent, confident and properly trained before working with people. To achieve this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) implement a structured induction programme that includes shadowing, training, competency checks and confirmation that staff understand people’s needs before working alone b) ensure staff training is verified, up-to-date and aligned to the needs of people they support, including moving and handling, communication needs, dementia and end of life care c) ensure supervision and team meetings are undertaken regularly and support learning, reflection and safe practice. This is to comply with Sections 7(1)(a) (duty to ensure appropriate staffing) and 8(1)(a) (training of staff) of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019. This is to ensure care is consistent with the HSCS: • “I have confidenc1. By 16 February 2026, to ensure people’s care and support needs are met safely and effectively, the provider must ensure assessment, personal planning and review processes are robust, accurate and used to guide consistent, person-centred care. To achieve this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) ensure pre-assessment information is accurate, complete and includes people’s needs, preferences, routines and risks b) ensure personal plans are detailed, person-centred and provide clear guidance for staff on how to meet people’s needs safely c) ensure risk assessments are person specific, regularly reviewed and updated in response to changes d) ensure planned routines and visit times recorded in personal plans reflect what is required in practice e) ensure anticipatory and end of life planning is comprehensive and includes escalation and comfort measures f) ensure reviews take place at appropriate intervals and lead to clear actions reflected in updated plans.