Ability Care Solutions Ltd

The service was registered with the care quality commission (CQC) on 29 January 2025. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service which was initiated due to concerns we received regarding unsafe staffing levels.

Care plans and risk assessments did not always detail all the required information and risks had not always been assessed. This placed people at risk of harm.

Medicines were not always managed safely. This placed people at risk of not receiving these as prescribed.

There had not always been sufficient staff to provide personalised care and support, and staff had not received all the training they required. For 2 people, care records detailed they required staff support with a clinical task. Not all staff had received training in this task, nor had their competency been assessed by a health care professional. This meant people were at risk of unsafe care by untrained staff.

Governance arrangements were not effective and did not ensure risks were consistently identified or addressed. The registered manager completed checks and audits, but these had not been effective in monitoring quality or driving improvement. The registered manager was responsive to our feedback. Some improvements had been completed before the end of the assessment.

We found breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, staffing and good governance. The provider took some immediate action during the assessment; however, governance systems were not robust enough to provide ongoing assurance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to some of the concerns found at this assessment.

People were protected and kept safe from abuse. Staff made sure people understood their care to enable them to give informed consent. People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff promoted choice, communication and meaningful activity. People and relatives were involved in decisions about their care. People were treated with dignity and respect, and relatives consistently reported that their family members had a good quality of life. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Most staff felt supported and felt they were treated equally.