CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Pathfinder Ashness Care
Ashness Lodge
286 Philip Lane, London, N15 4AB
Rated Good: inspectors found the service performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable staffing, safe recruitment, effective risk plans and safe medicine systems, but some staff medicine competency checks were out of date.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward to calculate the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward to calculate the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward to calculate the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive and open culture, visible management and effective audits. Staff said they felt supported and could raise concerns without fear.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Ashness Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well managed, although some medicine competency checks were out of date.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 24 October 2023. One inspector spoke with one person and two staff, including the registered manager. They observed staff and reviewed care plans, risk plans, medicine records, care notes, audits and staff records.
Inspectors found people felt safe, risks were assessed, staffing was sufficient and recruitment checks were completed. Medicines were managed safely overall, although some staff competency checks were out of date. The home was clean and staff followed infection control practices.
The home was rated Good overall, with Safe and Well-led both rated Good. This inspection only looked closely at Safe and Well-led. The ratings for the other questions were carried forward from the previous inspection, which was also rated Good.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe. Staff understood safeguarding and knew how to recognise and report abuse.
“People were safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm.” from the report
Suitable staffing
There were enough staff, including for one-to-one support. Inspectors saw staff being patient and not rushed.
“Staff were not rushed; they were patient and had time to provide the support that was needed.” from the report
Strong management oversight
The home had a clear management structure. Audits and other checks were regular and helped identify and address concerns.
“Governance processes, for example audits, were carried out regularly, were effective and helped provide good quality care and support.” from the report
Open staff culture
Staff said they were respected, supported and able to raise concerns. People and staff were involved in the running of the home.
“Staff told us they were able to raise concerns without any fear of what might happen as a result.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home clean, without bad smells, and saw staff following infection prevention practices.
“We observed the home environment and found it to be clean and free from any malodours.” from the report
Medicine competency checks
needs fixingSome staff checks showing they were competent to manage medicines were out of date. The manager said this would be addressed, and updated checks were sent to CQC after the inspection.
“However, some staff competency checks were out of date.” from the report
- 01Have all staff medicine competency checks now been completed and kept up to date?
- 02How do you check that risk plans remain accurate and are followed in practice?
- 03How are people and families involved in one-to-one meetings and decisions about improving the home?
- 04How do staff raise concerns, and what happens when a concern is reported?
- 05What were the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive at the previous comprehensive inspection?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 December 2023 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Ashness Lodge
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 November 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.
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Other services run by Pathfinder Ashness Care Limited
1 other service on the CQC register. A pattern across a group tells you more than one report.