Orchid Lawns care home Steppingley
Address: Orchid Lawns, Steppingley Hospital Grounds, Ampthill Road, Steppingley, Bedfordshire, MK45 1AB
Orchid Lawns care home Steppingley is a small nursing and dementia care home operated by Priory Adult Care (Health & Care Services (NW) Ltd), offering specialist support for residents with complex dementia or mental health needs in a tranquil rural setting near Flitwick and Ampthill Lottie+11Priory+11Autumna+11.
🏥 Care Services & Support
- Provides 24-hour registered nursing, dementia-specific nursing (including complex Dementia Plus service), end-of-life/palliative care, and short-stay respite placements Priory+1Priory+1.
- Expertly supports adults aged 65+ with Alzheimer’s, challenging behaviours, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, and other dementia-related needs Care Home+11Priory+11Priory+11.
🏡 Accommodation & Amenities
- Comprises 24 single ensuite rooms, all located on the ground floor and designed for safety and comfort with personal alarm systems, telephone lines, and garden views Care Home+8Priory+8HousingCare+8.
- The home features multiple communal areas—including a lounge, dining room, activities space, conservatory, and secure garden with seating, summerhouse, and vegetable patch. Accessibility features include a lift, assisted baths, mobility hoists, and wheelchair-friendly courtyards Lottie+8Priory+8Autumna+8.
🍽️ Dining & Lifestyle
- Accredited under Choice Dining, offering tailored meals and menus that meet individual nutritional, dietary, and presentation preferences. Snacks and adaptive utensils are also provided for residents with specific needs Autumna+1Autumna+1.
- Daily activities are coordinated to suit resident interests and promote engagement— including gardening, music therapy, crafts, reminiscence, outings, and one-to-one companionship efforts Priory+2Priory+2Autumna+2.
✅ CQC Rating & Oversight
- Rated Requires Improvement overall by the Care Quality Commission in its August 2021 inspection.
- Safe, Effective, Responsive, Well-led: Requires Improvement
- Caring: Good Priory+7Care Quality Commission+7Lottie+7.
- A follow-up visit by Healthwatch in April 2023 noted the environment was clean, gardens secure, and staff approachable, while further engagement and oversight remained areas to strengthen Lottie+3Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire+3Care Home+3.
🌿 Location & Community
- Located within the peaceful grounds of Steppingley Hospital in the small, picturesque village of Steppingley. The area offers rural ambiance while being close to Flitwick station (~2 miles) with good transport links including M1 access and Thameslink services into London (~45 min) Live-In Care Direct+8Wikipedia+8HousingCare+8.
📝 Summary
Orchid Lawns care home Steppingley offers specialist nursing and dementia care tailored to complex needs in a calm, rural setting. With 24 ensuite bedrooms, outdoor spaces, personalised meals, and a skilled nursing team, it provides focused support. While the CQC rating currently reflects areas needing improvement, its Caring standard is rated Good and active work is underway to enhance other domains.
