By Ian Quinn
City investors bargaining on a huge shift of NHS services to private companies signalled their intent today with a £281 million takeover deal for the provider Care UK.
Leading private equity group Bridgepoint offered a 9.2% premium on the company's share price to Care UK's investors and with the deal recommended to go through by management, the takeover looks set to spark a massive increase in private sector strategic activity.
Care UK, whose management team will stay on after the takeover, is among private providers expected to pick up major contracts from NHS trusts shifting services out of hospital.
Mike Parish, chief executive of Care UK, said: ‘Care UK has built a leading UK business as a market leading independent provider of healthcare services to the NHS. I believe this development is good news for the company and for our customers, patients and service users.'
Shift of care from hospitals paving way for lucrative private sector deals Shift of care from hospitals paving way for lucrative private sector deals
