Leighton Forest
- Care home
- 85 beds
- Nursing care
- Dementia care
- Registered since 2023
- Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire, East of England
Requires improvement
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
At a glance
10 ratings
Its last inspection improved it from Inadequate to Requires improvement.
15 months
since the latest rating was published.
15 of 57
rated care homes in Central Bedfordshire are rated Requires improvement, like this one.
Leighton Forest: inspection record
Rated Requires improvement in July 2025, up from Inadequate.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: The Knolls Care Centre (Good, 0.1 miles away) and Leighton Rose Care Home (Good, 1.7 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G The Knolls Care Centre Good, 0.1 miles away
- RI Carrington House Limited Requires improvement, 1 mile away
- RI Elm Lodge Nursing and Residential Home Requires improvement, 1.1 miles away
- RI Marigold House Requires improvement, 1.2 miles away
- G Leighton Rose Care Home Good, 1.7 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 14 July 2025 (assessment visit 15 May 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of Assessment: 19 May to 4 June 2025. Leighton Forest is a residential care home with nursing provision. The service supports older people, those living with dementia, physical disabilities and nursing needs. At the time of our assessment, there were 69 people using the service.
- Safe No rating
- Effective No rating
- Caring Good
- Responsive Good
- Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
This is our first assessment of this service, which was registered with CQC on 19 October 2023. This service was previously owned by another provider and was known as Swiss Cottage. Swiss Cottage, under the previous provider, was rated inadequate when the report was published on 28 October 2023.
We identified 3 breaches of the legal regulations concerning safeguarding, safe care and treatment and governance.
Safeguarding concerns had not always been identified or reported. Incidents, where people had communicated emotional distress, had not been well documented and reviewed to inform learning and reduce risks. Risks people could experience from the use of equipment or changes in their mobility were not always well managed. Medicines were not always managed safely. There were aspects of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices that needed improvement. People’s care plans were not always accurate or detailed enough in relation to their needs and preferences. The provider was receptive to our feedback and could evidence immediate improvement or show us planned actions they would take.
However, communal areas were clean. Staff were recruited safely and received regular supervision. Staff told us they felt able to approach leaders and raise concerns. The service had worked with external health professionals and sought medical advice appropriately. Where people were at risk from weight loss or needed support with their hydration, this was managed safely. There were systems to seek and act on feedback from people. The provider had invested in improving the environment. A staff member told us, “The culture has improved very much since opening; we took on previous staff from Swiss Cottage. The previous culture needed to change. Some people resigned, others adapted to the new company and have come on board.”
In instances where CQC have decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/ or appeals have been concluded.
-
Safe
No rating
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated requires improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety.
The service was in breach of legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and safeguarding. Safeguarding concerns were not always identified and reported. Incidents were not always well documented or managed. Care plans did not always contain enough information about managing risks. Medicines were not always managed safely. IPC risks had not always been managed.
-
Effective
No rating
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated requires improvement. This meant the effectiveness of people’s care, treatment and support did not always achieve good outcomes or was inconsistent. -
Caring
Good
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
-
Responsive
Good
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery. -
Well-led
No rating
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated requires improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
The service was in breach of the legal regulation in relation to governance. The provider had not always ensured their systems were effective or ensured oversight of quality, safety and management of risks.
Questions to ask when you visit
- Safe was rated Requires improvement on 14 July 2025. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Effective was rated Requires improvement on 14 July 2025. Ask about staff training and how health appointments are arranged.
- Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 14 July 2025. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
- Ask how nursing cover works at night and at weekends.
Registration details
- Registered manager
- Nicoleta Man
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Care home service with nursing
- Who it supports
- Dementia, Older People, Physical Disability
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
- Provider
- Pressbeau Limited
- Ownership type
- Organisation
- Companies House number
- 01787750 (opens Companies House)
Pressbeau Limited runs 9 services in England, 4 of them in the East of England. 7 are rated Good or Outstanding and 2 are rated Requires improvement or Inadequate.
Other services run by Pressbeau Limited
- G Glebe Court Good. Care home, Lewisham, London
- G Greathed Manor Nursing Home Good. Care home with nursing, Surrey, South East
- G Hill Top Lodge Good. Care home with nursing, Sandwell, West Midlands
- G New Meppershall Care Home Good. Care home with nursing, Central Bedfordshire
Getting help from Central Bedfordshire Council
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at Central Bedfordshire Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 0300 300 8000
- Contact adult social care online
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: Central Bedfordshire Council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Leighton Forest provide nursing care?
- Yes. The Care Quality Commission lists Leighton Forest as a care home with nursing.
- How many beds does Leighton Forest have?
- The Care Quality Commission's register lists 85 beds at Leighton Forest.
- When was Leighton Forest last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Leighton Forest was published on 14 July 2025.
- Who runs Leighton Forest?
- Leighton Forest is run by Pressbeau Limited. It runs 9 services in England, 4 of them in the East of England.
- What is Leighton Forest's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 14 July 2025.
Contact
- Phone
- 01525 377922
- Address
- Plantation Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3HU Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: The Knolls Care Centre (Good, 0.1 miles away) and Leighton Rose Care Home (Good, 1.7 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G The Knolls Care Centre Good, 0.1 miles away
- RI Carrington House Limited Requires improvement, 1 mile away
- RI Elm Lodge Nursing and Residential Home Requires improvement, 1.1 miles away
- RI Marigold House Requires improvement, 1.2 miles away
- G Leighton Rose Care Home Good, 1.7 miles away