Care UK acquires Partnership Health Group

Care UK, a leading independent provider of health and social care services to the public sector announced today the acquisition of the 50 per cent interest in Partnership Heath Group (PHG), previously owned by Life Healthcare of South Africa. 

The acquisition gives Care UK full ownership of PHG.

PHG was formed in 2003 and has been very successful in operating Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) for the NHS and has a strong track record of clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. 

PHG was formed as a joint venture to bid for the construction and operation of ISTCs which were introduced by the Department of Health as part of a number of health reform initiatives.

PHG’s operations currently include four ISTCs for NHS patients which are located in Plymouth, Barlborough (near Chesterfield), Maidstone and Ilford (North East London).
 
These centres provide a range of diagnostic, investigation and routine orthopaedic and general surgical procedures.  They are all operated under five year contracts.

The company has also recently signed a contract for the provision of a fifth ISTC to be located at the Royal South Hants Hospital in Southampton. Services under this contract are expected to commence in Autumn 2008.

Mike Parish, Care UK Group Chief Executive said today: “We are delighted to welcome PHG staff fully into the Care UK Group. Both Care UK and Life Healthcare believe that PHG has been a great success both in terms of achieving outstanding clinical care and exceptionally high levels of patient satisfaction. In order to focus on securing a long term future for PHG, both Life Healthcare and Care UK believe that this is the right time to simplify its ownership structure so that we can plan for and invest in continuity beyond the lifetime of the initial contract periods.”

“Care UK’s strategy continues to be to address both the Health and Social Care markets and respond to the NHS and Local Authorities’ plans to further utilise the independent sector to deliver services, to shift care from hospital environments to the community and to give patients choice and control.”