Private Equity in Healthcare

The UK’s healthcare sector continues to face serious challenges. Despite the pledge of an additional £1.6 billion for 2018-19 in the latest budget, much of the NHS is buckling under growing demand pressure while the social care system faces rising costs and significant staffing shortages.

Despite these headwinds, the UK private equity community remain active players in health and social care investment. 2017 saw a number of notable deals with private equity firms both exiting the market – such as Phoenix Equity Partner’s sale of the Porthaven portfolio to Fremont Reality Capital – and making strategic acquisitions into areas such as diagnostics, domiciliary care, complex care and children’s services. 

With demand for quality assets at arguably the highest level in a decade, there are opportunities to create value through consolidation, innovation and also by tackling the cost pressures faced across the system.

In a competitive market, however, the role of private equity is evolving as the investment landscape continues to shift. To recognise this, on 1 March, HealthInvestor will partner with leading law firm Charles Russell Speechlys to examine the role of private equity in the UK’s health and social care sector, and to analyse the key trends and challenges facing investors and operators.

The event will feature the leading figures from the UK private equity community that are currently investing in health and social care, and market experts will analyse the opportunities and challenges facing private equity professionals in this complex and challenging market.