The Orchards

Station Road, Thorrington, Colchester, Essex, CO7 8JA

01206250676

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

16 February 2021

Provider

Cygnet (OE) Limited

Beds

5 beds

Rating history

GoodNov 2016
GoodJul 2019

Rated Good at every inspection since 2016.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Cygnet (OE) Limited, which runs 11 care homes in England: 9 rated Good, 1 Requires Improvement and 1 not yet rated.

Average care home fees in the East of England: £1,034 a week for residential care and £1,411 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About The Orchards

The Orchards is a residential care home in Essex, providing care in a large adapted house for people with mental health needs or learning disabilities. Further detail on the service can be found in the findings below.

The Orchards provides care and support for up to five people with mental health or learning disability and complex needs in a large adapted house close to local amenities. At the time of inspection, five people were using the service. People were positive about their experiences and told inspectors they were happy living there, with residents expressing satisfaction about the care they receive and their daily lives at the home.

Source: CQC inspection report, 13 March 2021

Specialist Care

Learning disabilitiesMental healthOlder peopleSensory impairmentsYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 5 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CO7 8JA

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Learning disabilities; Mental health conditions; Sensory impairment.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Rating report published 4 July 2019. Latest inspection date recorded: 16 February 2021.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Good

Read The Orchards's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting The Orchards, consider asking...

1.What happens if my relative's care needs increase significantly -- will they have to move?
2.How do you handle concerns or complaints from families?
3.What does the monthly fee cover and what will cost extra?
4.How do you keep families informed about their relative's day-to-day wellbeing?
5.What happens if my relative is unhappy here?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit The Orchards, look out for...

1.Do staff greet residents by name and stop to chat?
2.Are residents dressed, up and occupied, or sitting alone in front of a TV?
3.Does the home smell fresh and feel clean without being clinical?
4.Do residents look comfortable and at ease, or anxious and withdrawn?
5.Does the manager answer your questions openly or deflect?

Could the NHS fund The Orchards's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees