We're consulting on a proposal to change the way Step Up / Step Down (SUSD) bed-based reablement services are provided across Central Bedfordshire.
Step Up / Step Down services provide short-term care, rehabilitation and support for adults who may need help to avoid a hospital admission or who need further support to regain their independence following a stay in hospital.
We currently provide these services from 2 locations:
- Evergreen, Ampthill (6 beds)
- Redwood Reablement Suite at All Saints View, Houghton Regis (8 beds)
To help make sure services remain sustainable, effective and provide value for money, we're consulting on a proposal to close Evergreen and provide all bed-based reablement services from 1 location, Redwood Reablement Suite at All Saints View.
View a map which shows both locations
Background
In recent years, more people have regained their independence with support from our Step Up / Step Down and reablement services, despite supporting people with more complex health needs and multiple conditions.
As more people are being supported at home through our Home First approach, fewer people need bed-based reablement services. This means our current Step Up / Step Down beds (in places such as Evergreen) are not being used as much as they were in the past. When, beds are empty we still need to cover the costs of running the service. These costs include staffing, utilities, and building-related expenses across both sites.
In May 2025, one of our SUSD services relocated from Beech Close into a new purpose-built reablement facility at All Saints View, which we own. This is known as the Redwood Reablement Suite and provides modern facilities including dedicated therapy space and supports up to eight individuals at a time.
Evergreen currently operates from a building owned by Amplius Housing Association (previously Aragon Housing Association). Before Aragon and Amplius merged, we were made aware that the future use of some sites and buildings would be reviewed.
As of August 2026, there is still uncertainty about the long-term future of the Evergreen site.
The options considered
Option 1: Do nothing
What would this mean in practice?
We would continue to provide Step Up / Step Down bed-based reablement services from both Evergreen in Ampthill and the Redwood Reablement Suite at All Saints View in Houghton Regis.
No changes would be made to the current service, and existing bed capacity would be maintained across both sites.
Cost
We would continue to incur the operational costs of running 2 sites, including:
- rent
- utilities, repairs, and maintenance
- staffing costs
- equipment and facilities management costs
- we would also need to continue funding capacity that is currently underutilised
Assumptions
Evergreen remains available for use in the medium term to long term.
Demand for bed-based reablement increases sufficiently to justify current capacity levels.
Existing funding arrangements remain sustainable.
Advantages
Advantages of option 1 would include:
- no immediate change to services
- existing capacity would be retained
- service users would continue to have access to 2 locations
- staff working arrangements would remain unchanged
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of option 1 would include:
- current bed capacity exceeds typical levels of demand and may continue to be underutilised
- we would continue to incur costs associated with operating and maintaining 2 sites
- we don't own Evergreen and would not address the future availability of its building
- resources would remain spread across two locations rather than being concentrated in a purpose-built facility
- the option would not support our wider strategic direction of delivering more support through Home First and community-based reablement services
- the option would not achieve the efficiency savings identified through our 2026 to 2027 budget-setting process
Initial assessment
Doing nothing would maintain excess bed capacity, continue to incur avoidable costs and would not address the uncertainty surrounding the future availability of the Evergreen building and would not achieve the efficiency savings through our 2026 to 2027 budget-setting process.
Option 2: Close Evergreen and consolidate services at the Redwood Reablement Suite, All Saints View (Preferred Option)
What would this mean in practice?
New admissions to Evergreen would cease from an agreed date.
All future Step Up / Step Down bed-based reablement admissions would be held at the Redwood Reablement Suite at All Saints View in Houghton Regis.
Existing individuals receiving support at Evergreen would complete their planned reablement programmes before the service closes.
Step Up / Step Down services would be delivered from a single council-owned, purpose-built facility.
Community reablement and Home First services will be increased and people will have more choice to pick these options instead of having to use a bed-based reablement service staff would receive support throughout the transition, including opportunities for redeployment where available, with the aim of keeping redundancies to a minimum.
Cost
The proposal would remove costs associated with operating 2 sites (Evergreen and Redwood), including:
- building-related costs
- rent and service charges
- utilities and maintenance
- duplicate operational costs associated with operating across 2 sites
Consolidating services within a council-owned facility would support more efficient use of staffing and resources whilst helping to deliver the savings of £594,000 identified through our budget-setting process for 2026 to 2027.
Assumptions
Future demand for Step Up / Step Down services remains broadly consistent with current levels.
The eight-bed Redwood Reablement Suite provides sufficient capacity to meet anticipated demand.
There will be more resources and capacity to increase options for people to access Home First and community-based reablement services.
Advantages
Advantages of option 2 would include:
- makes full use of a modern, purpose-built reablement facility designed specifically for rehabilitation and recovery
- provides greater long-term certainty by operating from a council-owned building
- bed capacity aligns more closely to current and anticipated demand – this would be a reduction from 14 beds to 8 beds however, in practice this would equate to a 2-bed reduction based on current and previous years occupancy levels of the current service
- supports more efficient use of staffing, facilities, and resources
- reduces operational costs with maintaining 2 separate sites
- supports and increases our capacity to deliver more Home First, Discharge to Assess, and community-based reablement approaches
- improves opportunities for multidisciplinary working through the dedicated therapy and rehabilitation facilities available at All Saints View
- meets the delivery of agreed budget savings and improved financial sustainability
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of option 2 would include:
- Evergreen would close, removing a service location in Ampthill
- some individuals and families may need to travel further to access the service
- there may be concerns regarding reduced bed capacity across the service
- staff based at Evergreen may be affected by the proposed change
Initial assessment
This option would provide a sustainable, cost-effective model for delivering bed-based reablement services in the future. It would enable us to make full use of its purpose-built reablement facility at All Saints View, align capacity with current demand, reduce operating costs and support our ambition to help more people regain their independence at home through Home First and community-based services.
Preferred option
Option 2 is our preferred option. This would mean closing Evergreen and consolidating services at the Redwood Reablement Suite in Houghton Regis.
This is the preferred choice because:
- the proposal supports a wider shift towards Home First, Discharge to Assess and community-based reablement approaches
- the Redwood Reablement Suite is a council-owned, purpose-built eight-bed facility designed specifically to support rehabilitation and reablement
- consolidating services would support more efficient use of staffing, resources and facilities
- current bed capacity exceeds typical demand levels
- the Evergreen building remains earmarked for future redevelopment by Amplius Housing Association
- there is no confirmed timescale for redevelopment, but the uncertainty creates challenges for long-term service planning
- closure of Evergreen was identified as a proposed efficiency saving during our 2026 to 2027 budget-setting process
What would happen if the proposal was approved?
If the proposal is approved admissions would start to wind down at Evergreen before its closure and anyone needing bed based reablement support would be admitted directly to Redwood Reablement Suite at All Saints View, there would be no gap or delay in receiving bed based reablement support.
We will continue working with health and care partners to help people leave hospital and return home safely, increasing the use of community reablement services, home first principles and residential reablement support options for people to regain their independence at home wherever possible. Bed base support will continue to be provided for those who really need it.
We recognise that the proposal may affect staff working at Evergreen. If approved, staff would receive support throughout the transition, including opportunities for redeployment where available, with the aim of keeping redundancies to a minimum.
Your voice matters
We want to hear from anyone living or working in Central Bedfordshire and in particular:
- carers and family members of people who access these services
- people who use rehab and therapy services
- staff
- partner organisations
- other interested stakeholders
The consultation will run for 3 months and is open from Tuesday 11 August 2026 until Monday 2 November 2026.
If you require a copy of the consultation summary document or questionnaire in an alternative format, please email consultations@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or telephone 0300 300 8000.
What happens next?
Once the consultation has closed, feedback will be collated and carefully considered before any final decision is made. The feedback received will help inform our assessment of the proposal and any subsequent recommendations. If changes are made, they will come into effect in the summer of 2027.