Group History

Forest Healthcare was founded in 1994 by Efi Hershkovitz. The first centre in the group was Ash Court care centre (Ash Court Community Limited) in Camden. Forest purchased a site in Camden and won planning permission to build a new 54 room nursing home. Construction started in March 1998 following the granting of revised planning permission and was completed in 1999.  The first client was admitted to Ash Court in July of that year. Ash Court has traded as a 60 bed nursing home since its opening and has always been extremely successful.  It has exceptionally happy clients, and achieved a 3 star rating (the highest possible) with the Care Quality Commission (our industry regulator).  Ash Court has always been "full" throughout its entire life and often has a waiting list for new clients to join us.

In July 2000, our founder branched out into the specialist field of eating disorders. In conjunction with Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr David Wood, a new unit, the  'Ellern Mede Centre', was established in the Mill Hill area of North London.  The centre opened in July 2001 and still operates today as one of the leading eating disorder centres for children and adolescents in the whole of the UK.  The centre limits its intake to 18 young people at any one time and is registered as an independent hospital (and school) for young people aged between 8 and 17 who are suffering from some form of eating disorder.

In 2003 Forest Healthcare went on to complete the acquisition of Borehamwood Care Village.  The newly named 'Forest Care Village' began its huge redevelopment in January 2004 and later that year and at a cost of £7m it has transformed into one of the largest specialist care facilities in the UK.  Forest Care Village is now registered for 178 beds and cares for clients from 18 upwards with a huge variety of long term care needs.

2004 saw Forest Healthcare on the acquisition trail again as it successfully purchased Bridgeside Lodge, a purpose-built, 51 bed nursing home in Islington.  Up until that time Bridgeside Lodge had been run by a local charity and was struggling both financially and in terms of the quality of care to its clients. Forest Healthcare has recently completed an extension to the home, increasing its capacity from 51 to 64 rooms and has since been awarded a 3 star rating (the highest possible) by the industry regulator, the Commission for Social Care Inspection. (now the Care Quality Commission)

In January 2008 Forest acquired 9 separate Care home groups all operating from freehold properties and located in the south-east and east of England.

Forest today is a group comprising of 14 facilities and a turnover of £32 million.