Bluebird Care Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Recorded Key Question grade range: 3 — Adequate View on Care Inspectorate
Key Question scores
Requirements & recommendations
1. By 16 March 2026, to ensure people receive their medication safely and in line with their assessed needs, the provider must ensure all medication is administered in a safe, lawful and well documented manner. To do this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) Ensure medication assessments are completed, kept up to date, and included in people’s plans. b) Ensure all required legal documentation for consent to administer medication is completed, current, and filed within people’s plans. c) Ensure all Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 documentation is completed correctly, in place, and accessible within people’s plans where required. d) Ensure all recordings and instructions relating to medication administration are accurate, consistent and clearly guide staff practice. This is to comply with: Regulation 4(1)(a) of the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Sc
1. To ensure people consistently receive medication safely and as prescribed, the provider should strengthen monitoring systems for medication records. This should include but not be limited to, proactive audits and robust contingency arrangements when the electronic recording system is unavailable. This is to ensure care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS), which state: 'I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice' (HSCS 4.11); and '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 make sure people experience reliable, skilled care, the provider should strengthen systems for assuring staff competency and embedding reflective learning. This should include but not be limited to, ensuring competency checks are detailed and consistent, and using supervision, team discussions and meetings to promote reflective learning across the workforce. This is to ensure care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS), which state: '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. By 10 November 2025 the provider must ensure all service users experience dignity and respect in all aspects of their care and support. To do this the provider must, at a minimum ensure that: a) Staff have a clear understanding of dignity and respect. b) Staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities c) People’s human rights are respected and promoted at all times. d) Implement a system that provides assurance people are respected; and ensures that action is taken where required to make improvements. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1)(a) (welfare of service users) 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 experience people speaking and listening to me in a way that is courteous and respectful, with my care and support being the main foc2. By 10 November 2025 the provider must protect all service users from harm by making the following improvements to the infection prevention and control practice: a) Ensure all staff undertake training in infection prevention and control specifically in relation to appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) b) Implement a system that offers assurance that infection prevention and control practice is safe; and ensures that action is taken where required to make improvements. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1)(d) (infection prevention and control) 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 and1. By 10 November 2025, the provider must improve and support better outcomes for people. To do this the provider must ensure the quality assurance system links directly to and improves the outcomes and experiences for people. To do this the provider must, at a minimum ensure that: a) Develop and implement a service improvement plan. b) Implement oversight of staff practice, including shadow visits of staff, and ensure that action is taken where required to make improvements. c) Obtain feedback from people and families regarding people’s experience of the care and support provided. d) Undertake medication and care planning audits that inform improvements in outcomes for people. e) Ensure prompt action is taken to address indications of poor care provision. f) Develop a whole team approach to making improvements g) Share learning outcomes with all staff and ensure improvements are sustained. This is to comply with Regulation 4(1)(a) (welfare of service users) and Regul2. By 10 November 2025 the provider must ensure the service has a culture of continuous improvement with a robust and transparent quality assurance process. In order to achieve this the provider must: a) develop trusting and transparent relationships with people and families. b) demonstrate that staff understand how to recognise and respond to complaints and concerns. c) ensure expressions of dissatisfaction raised by residents and/or their representatives are handled effectively and in accordance with their organisation’s policy and procedure. This is to comply with Regulations 18 (3) (Complaints) 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: 'If I have a concern or complaint, this will be discussed with me and acted on without negative conseque1. By 10 November 2025, the provider must ensure people are supported by staff who are well trained, competent and skilled, and who are enabled to reflect on their practice in order to develop. To do this, the provider must, at a minimum: a) Ensure all staff receive appropriate training to meet the needs of people specifically but not limited to, medication, infection prevention and control (IPC), continence and dementia b) Ensure all staff have access to the organisation’s policies and procedures. c) Ensure all staff are part of the supervision and mentoring program that supports, develops and values staff. d) Carry out regular observations of staff competency. This is to comply with Regulation 15 (Staffing) 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 confid1. By 10 November 2025 the provider must ensure positive outcomes for service users by effectively demonstrating that individual care/support plans are sufficiently detailed and provide staff with effective guidance on how to support service users. To do this the provider must: a) Ensure people and those important to them are fully involved in planning and reviewing their support plans. b) Ensure that documentation and records are accurate, sufficiently detailed, and organised and reflective of the care/support planned or provided. c) Ensure that all risk assessments are accurate and updated regularly. d) Ensure that personal plans include people’s individual aspirations and outline the support that will be provided to help them to achieve this. e)Be able to show evidence of regular monitoring and evaluation of records to demonstrate that staff ha
1. To ensure staff have the appropriate personal qualities and values, the provider must ensure all staff have been well recruited. To do this the provider must: a) ensure all staff have been recruited safely in line with good practice guidance - Safer Recruitment Through Better Recruitment, this must include a reference from their last employer. b) Ensure new staff undertake a comprehensive induction program that supports the needs and outcomes of people. 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 skills, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes.’ (HSCS 3.14) and ‘I am supported and cared for by people I know so I experience consistency and continuity’ (HSCS 4.16)
1. To ensure people receive support in line with their agreed and assessed needs, wishes and preferences, including medication. This should include but is not limited to, ensuring people and those important to them are fully involved in planning and reviewing their support plans on a formal basis. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'My personal plan (sometimes referred to as a care plan) is right for me because it sets out how my needs will be met, as well as my wishes and choices' (HSCS 1.15); and ‘I am fully involved in developing and reviewing my personal plan, which is always available to me’ (HSCS 2.17).
2. To safeguard and support positive outcomes for people, the provider should ensure all staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to adult support and protection. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I am protected from harm, neglect, abuse, bullying and exploitation by people who have a clear understanding of their responsibilities’ (HSCS 3.20).