WESTBRIDGE has invested £9.6m to support the MBO of Acuity Care Group, a leading provider of complex care in the community, to underpin its future growth and development.
Founder Paul Sais has retained a significant share of the business and will take a seat on the board. The deal sees the appointment of Craig Rushton as chairman. He will work closely with the incumbent six-strong management team, led by managing director David Hatton, to take the business forward.
Established in 2011, Acuity is a specialist nurse led service provider, with over 50 employees and 620 trained carers who enable and empower individuals with complex health and social care needs to be supported within their own homes and communities.
Acuity works in partnership with its clients, their families, circles of support and multi-agency teams, to support children and adults with physical disability, mental health conditions, learning disability and autism. The company is committed to driving the Transforming Care agenda, which aims to provide care in homes, not hospitals.
Headquartered in Nottingham and with a strong reputation for the quality of its provision, the company currently manages contracts from 58 of the UK’s Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
The WestBridge team comprised Tim Whittard, Edward Minton, Rebecca Sinclair and Valerie Kendall.
Whittard said:
“Acuity is a successful business with a reputation for high quality care, a strong track record of growth and significant recurring income from its NHS contracts. The market in which it operates is highly fragmented so there is continued potential to develop the business through a focussed acquisition strategy. Alongside M&A, there is an increasing market demand for Continuing Healthcare funded activity, and the company’s recent introduction of a Learning Disability and Autism (LDA) service, which sees them returning people with challenging behaviours from hospitals to their own homes under the Transforming Care agenda, presents a further opportunity for growth.
“This is exactly the type of business in which we like to invest. We are very much looking forward to working with Paul, Craig and the rest of the Acuity team. Aside from the commercial appeal, the chemistry feels right, which is very important.”
Ed Minton added:
“Acuity is a well-run and focussed business with the highest standard of care at its core. The attractive market niche, experienced team and development potential that is available from offering care in new service areas, coupled with select M&A activity, makes this a very exciting investment proposition for us.”
Paul Sais, Acuity founder, said:
"We are delighted to conclude this deal, which will enable Acuity to continue pursuing growth while maintaining the highest standards of care.
“The WestBridge team impressed us with their pragmatic approach and we look forward to working with them over the next phase of our journey.”