Healthcare
Representation UK is highly experienced in advising on the acquisition and disposal of care and nursing homes and providing consultancy services to the care sector.
Social care is in turmoil. At the same time, opportunities abound. Demand for care is rising; the population of the UK is ageing; local authority fees have not kept pace with inflation and the provision of care is under-funded by many billions of pounds a year.
In his March 2020 budget, the Chancellor announced a review of the financing of the social care sector. It’s long overdue!
How can we help?
We are experienced in advising owners and operators of care and nursing homes, funders and investors, and banks and insolvency firms, about M&A and management options, and how to provide good quality care, whilst at the same time operating those businesses more successfully.
Corporate care consultancy
Sometimes, owners and operators just need a second opinion to sense check their decision-making processes and to discuss their options. Because we understand the sector so well, we can provide this.
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Private Equity and Venture Capital in Social Care
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Demand for social care has never been higher and local authorities continue to out-source care delivery to the private sector. This disruption creates opportunities for PE and VC firms. On the other hand, some of the largest care providers, (a number of which are owned by PE and VC firms), are currently up for sale, seemingly struggling under mountainous levels of debt.
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Where does this all leave PE and VC firms? We believe our knowledge of the marketplace can be helpful to those organisations wishing to obtain an experienced point of view.
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Turnaround
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Our experience with care businesses in need of a turnaround is that the operational side is closely linked to the financial side. We have previously arranged for embargoes to be lifted, staffing structures to be altered financial performance to be improved. We can also take on interim management roles in struggling homes, enabling us to steady the ship.
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Creating more profitable care and nursing homes
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Margins in care homes can be tight. Good operators combine the delivery of high-quality care with high occupancy rates, low staff turnover, minimal or no agency costs and good debtor collection. When even one of those metrics goes wrong, it can impact on the whole performance of a business. If you have problems in any of these areas, we can help.
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Creating good relationships with CQC and local authorities
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Some operators regard CQC and the contracting arms of local authorities with suspicion. We, on the other hand, believe that building constructive relationships with Social Workers, Safeguarding, CQC, the NHS and the various arms of local authorities can help improve the performance of a care business.
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Acquisition and Sale of Care and Nursing Homes
Choosing the right solicitor to handle an acquisition or disposal is not easy. In a regulated sector, there are specific issues affecting care and nursing homes which are unique. Through Morton Legal, the law firm in which he is also a director, Andrew Lindsay has considerable experience in helping to secure a transaction. And he can draft and negotiate the necessary legal agreements clients will require.
Providing a Management Service
Running care and nursing homes is stressful. Many owner-operators get to a stage in their lives when they want to hand over the day-to-day operation of their business to someone else. That is where we can advise on third party management, or step in with our own experienced managers. We are also able to take on non-executive board roles for care home groups looking for outside experience.
Track Record
-Acquisition and disposal of multiple care homes across the UK from and to major care businesses, local and regional operators;
-Successfully obtaining the lifting of embargoes on care homes;
-Advising on the structuring of care groups to minimise commercial risk;
-Successful negotiation with the CQC, following incorrect inspections of care and nursing home operators, leading to improved ratings;
-Sale of medical equipment supplier to major authorised NHS supplier;
-Former Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Boards of the Central Science Laboratory, and the Food and Environmental Agency; and
-Sale of major medical analytical laboratory company.
