The Orchard Nursing Home

129-135 Camp Road, St Albans AL1 5HL
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9.7 99 Reviews
  • The Orchard Nursing Home, St Albans
The Orchard Nursing Home is located in a quiet residential area of St Albans, with a warm family atmosphere, highly trained staff are available to get to know residents individually offering the highest standards of residential, nursing and dementia care on a permanent and short stay basis.

Staff strive for a blend of compassion and commitment, while the home has many pleasing features to add to the satisfaction of daily lifestyles, including en-suite bedrooms, activity rooms and landscaped sensory gardens.

Following a refurbishment, the nursing home has combined services, furnishings and equipment to ensure a luxurious standard of resident comfort and care in an attractive and restful environment. A bright and spacious interior includes a choice of lounge and quiet areas.
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Care Provided

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia
  • Physical Disability
  • Visual / Hearing Impairment
  • Younger Adults

Length of Stay

  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Care Types Provided

  • Residential Care
  • Nursing Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • Dementia Nursing Care
  • For a maximum of 63 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia
  • Advanced/Complex Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Stroke
  • Palliative / End of Life Care
  • COPD/Pulmonary Disease
  • Convalescent Care
  • Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

Facilities

  • Own Furniture if required
  • Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
  • Close to Local shops
  • Near Public Transport
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Gardens
  • Bar/Café
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Television point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access

Funding & Fees

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1728
  • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £1836
  • Self-Funded Nursing Care: from £1836
  • Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care: from £1944
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1836
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £2052
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Care: from £1944
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care: from £2052

These prices are only a guideline, please contact The Orchard Nursing Home to find out the exact price for your requirements.

Funding Types Accepted

  • Self Funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Support you may be entitled to

If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £254.06 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.

Good to Know

Person in charge

  • Dumitru Varzaru (Home Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • Ages 40+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes
  • Last Refurbishment: 2013
  • Number of floors: 3

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (63)
  • Couples/Companion Rooms (0)
  • Single Rooms with Ensuite Wet Room (63)

Visiting

  • Visitors welcome at any time, but The Orchard Nursing Home would encourage visitors to call in advance to ensure that any specific arrangements can be met.

Parking

  • The home has its own car park for visitors.

The Orchard Nursing Home Reviews (99)

9.7

The Orchard Nursing Home has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.749) out of 10, based on 17 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Orchard Nursing Home has 99 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 70
  • 26
  • 3
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Date Published
  • 99
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  • 17
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Reviewer Connection to The Orchard Nursing Home
  • 39
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  • 5
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  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
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  • 1
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Total of 99, showing 81-99
Review from M A (Son of Resident) published on 2 November 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My introduction to The Orchard Nursing Home was a pleasant one. They have a dedicated member of staff to give you a guided tour of the home. He was most helpful and addressed any concerns I had about my mother's move to The Orchard. My mother has settled in well thanks to the friendly and efficient
staff.
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Review from Warren G (Husband of Resident) published on 22 October 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I have been welcomed and greeted civilly at all times and I appreciate that I can see my wife at any time if I so wish. Staff are friendly and familiar and I have no reason to believe they are hiding anything from me.
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Review from M B (Wife of Resident) published on 17 October 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My husband was well looked after. I had every confidence that he would in a safe and caring environment. The staff were very helpful. The food was tasty.
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Review from Lisa N (Daughter of Resident) published on 8 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Mum has been a resident at The Orchard for two months. The positive change in her general wellbeing has been phenomenal despite her complex health needs. Mum is happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. She is cared for not only with dignity and respect but love and laughter too. This is extended
to our family as well.


The Orchard has high standards for all aspects of their provision and these are maintained by the whole of the staff team. If there is a problem I know they will contact me. Likewise, if I have a concern there is always someone to talk to and resolution is speedy.


A huge thank you to the management and their whole staff team for making what has been a traumatic year much more peaceful.

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Review from Roy A (Son-in-law of Resident) published on 11 September 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since my father-in-law came to The Orchard Nursing Home roughly 3-4 months ago I must confess I have never seen more hard working people and the kindness shown to their relatives it is by far the best nursing home I have seen and I have seen quite a few. My father-in-law says the staff show him kindness
and are very helpful.
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Review from Anne N (Daughter of Resident) published on 29 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very good on the whole. Mum found early morning difficult as she often wakes around 6.30am but has not got up until 9.30. She found the staff friendly, kind and helpful as did we.
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Review from Jackie E (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
Hit and miss with number of carers daily.
As of Friday 25th May to date my father's dentures have been mislaid!
Reply from Wendy Walker, Home Manager at The Orchard Nursing Home

The health and wellbeing of our residents is our absolutely priority and we work hard to ensure the correct number of carers are here for every shift. We are in contact with this family regarding the resident’s dentures and have arranged for a dentist to come in and replace them. Our home manager’s door is always open if relatives or residents have anything to discuss with them now or in the future.

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Review from J G (Son of Resident) published on 25 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans is very clean, the management and staff are very friendly, hardworking, very caring, very helpful and it's a very well run home.
Safety and security is very good.
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Review from Clive P (Son of Resident) published on 22 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
My mum has been in The Orchard for 8 months and she has been well looked after generally. However, we are disappointed with her teeth cleaning, putting in her hearing aids and lack of notification of her personal needs like when toiletries run out. Staff seem very busy, in particular, the nurses and
this will become more of a problem when spaces are filled. More communication needed. The recent CQC report of management was disappointing.
Reply from Wendy Walker, Home Manager at The Orchard Nursing Home

We are delighted to hear that your mother has settled in at The Orchard and is being well looked after at our home. The health and wellbeing of our residents is always our first priority and we work hard with relatives and residents to make sure all care needs are met using the key worker system. Please be assured that we ensure the correct number of carers are on shift and as the number of residents increases in the future so will the number of carers. If you wish to discuss this in more detail either with your key worker or the home manager our door is always open.

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Review from John M (Son of Resident) published on 4 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mother has fairly advanced dementia and has been at the Orchard for nearly two years. The home is clean, light and brightly furnished, with a pleasant garden full of flowers. The manager is friendly and approachable. Most importantly, the staff are kind and patient with the residents. I am confident
Mum is being looked after well and would have no hesitation in recommending the home.
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Review from Janice C (Daughter of Resident) published on 17 April 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We are very pleased with the level of care and the quality of the full-time staff. It is now great that we have a permanent manager who appears to be very experienced and extremely approachable. After the refurbishment of the ground and first floor to a high standard, it is disappointing that there
is no plan to refurbish the second floor which is now looking a little tired.
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Review from J A-B (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 August 2017 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very good dementia and general care. My mother was expecting end of life care but improved and gained 2 stone and now well and able to participate in the home life.
Very pleased and can recommend.
Reply from Clare Francis, Home Manager at The Orchard Nursing Home

At Caring Homes we take feedback from our residents and their families very seriously and we are delighted to hear that this resident has gained weight and is enjoying life at The Orchard Nursing Home. We are always pleased when families are happy with the care received and would feel able to recommend our home as having very good dementia and general care.


Our care team strives to ensure every resident is enjoying life at the home to the full and will be working with this resident and family to ensure our daily activities are suitable and being taken full advantage of. Our home manager’s door is always open for discussion on any aspect of care at The Orchard.

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Review from S T (Friend of Resident) published on 9 May 2017 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As we live in Canada and were able to visit just three times during our stay I do not feel qualified to answer all questions. We did find the staff caring and helpful. Our dear resident became more her old self by our third visit and we happily went down memory lane together. We found the facility clean,
her room as well. Several staff members showed interest in our being there and asked questions. We leave for home today feeling reassured of our dear friends care.
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Review from R C (Daughter of Resident) published on 2 May 2017 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Staff are caring and courteous. Initial concerns have been addressed and facilities considerably improved.
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Review from Andrew L (Son of Resident) published on 31 October 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My family were looking for home who could offer my Mother daycare as she has advanced alzheimers. First impressions of The Orchard were excellent. The home is modern, clean and felt very welcoming. Friends had already reassured us that the home was good. I had visited other homes but my brother and
I both immediately felt that The Orchard was right for my Mother. She has attended the home since June 2016 and my family and friends have really noticed an improvement with my Mother. She is happy to attend the home and is extremely well cared for by the warm-hearted staff.
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Review from Nick C (Nephew of Resident) published on 26 October 2016 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
A very clean and tidy nursing home and were pleased that my aunt spent her last stages of Alzheimer's and was clearly a little upset by the move, but soon began to settle in. We were told she was not eating or drinking, but this was something she had not done for a very long time, we were not surprised.
We found the staff confident and caring. The nature of the disease means patients walk around on the floor and lot and it's hard to stop them walking into rooms that are not their own.
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Review from A W (Sister of Resident) published on 11 March 2016 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Over years this is the third member of our family to be in The Orchard and we have no complaints.
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Review from Colin S (Son of Resident) published on 24 February 2016 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding care since my dad's admission in October 2013 to date. Despite change of ownership of the care home standards have maintained and improved. I have been impressed by the standard of care and support by all staff not only to my dad but our family as well in this difficult time. I would highly
recommend this home to friends and relatives.
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Review from Rosie C (Great-Niece of Resident) published on 12 August 2015 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Orchard care home and all the staff are amazing. My Aunt was diagnosed with a Brain Tumour last November. She had an operation and Radio Therapy to give her a bit more time but sadly rapidly deteriorated towards the end of June this year where she was hospitalised for 3 weeks. I decided I wanted
her out of hospital and somewhere where I was confident she would get 24 hour care that was a "home from home" and that's exactly what we got. I viewed the home on my own and was shown all the rooms available and all the facilities on offer. I met the manager who was wonderfully supportive through this very emotional time and reserved my Aunts room with her there and then. This was the first home on a list of others I was due to view but I was so confident and overwhelmed by how lovely it was and it just felt right. We talked daily, chasing paperwork and hospital tests and finally got my Aunt into her room on The 8th of July. She had her Jazz music playing and was surrounded by photos of her loved ones and fresh flowers. Her key worker and Nurse washed and changed her and got her comfortable and settled straight away. We kissed her goodbye and told her we would see her tomorrow and felt confident that she was happy and relaxed. Sadly just as we arrived home (an hour away) we got a call to say that we better come back. My Beautiful Aunt slipped away 10 minutes after that call was made. When we arrived back to the home the manager greeted us at the door and told us the bad news. We got to see my Aunt who looked so peaceful and finally at rest and still listening to her Jazz music. We were offered plenty of shoulders to cry on and cups of tea. I really couldn't have wished for a better ending to my Aunts wonderful life and I know she couldn't have either. The manager was amazing from start to finish and listened to my wishes all the way through and I felt that my Aunt was in the best hands (apart from mine, obviously) thank you so much to everyone at The Orchards, a truly wonderful place. Rosie x
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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.749)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.749) out of 10 for The Orchard Nursing Home is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 17 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 17 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.749 for The Orchard Nursing Home is calculated as follows: ( (155 Excellents x 5) + (40 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 199 Ratings = 4.749
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Orchard Nursing Home is based on 17 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 63 registered maximum number of service users is 12.6, which has been reached with 17 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Regulatory Rating

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 1 Aug 2019

Overall Good

  • Caring Good
  • Effective Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Safe Good
  • Well-led Good
Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England. View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (12)

Meet the Team (3)

Dumitru

Dumitru Varzaru

Job Title: Home Manager

As the Home Manager, I believe that our residents should be treated with the highest quality of care possible and I have the responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents. I lead by example and involve myself in the day-to-day life of the home as well as making The Orchard a happy and enjoyable place in which to live and work.

Tubi

Tubi Malawo

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Our carers and nurses are highly skilled, with qualifications to manage all types of care, including residential, nursing and dementia. Within each team, we’re able to offer specialist care for complex conditions.


I bring a wealth of clinical expertise and compassionate leadership, supporting high-quality care and ensuring residents at The Orchard feel safe, respected and well looked after every day.

Natalie

Natalie Collard

Job Title: Customer Relationship Manager

I support families from the first enquiry, offering guidance, reassurance and a warm welcome to help make choosing care at The Orchard feel easier and informed.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact The Orchard Nursing Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Orchard Nursing Home has an Enhanced Service - more info.