Healthcare Markets

Bupa has introduced new mobile occupational health screening units for corporate clients to reduce the number of working hours lost by clients’ employees travelling to medical screenings.

GP representatives have hit back at criticism from the Secretary of State for Health over pressure on NHS A&E services. In a speech last month Jeremy Hunt MP blamed changes to GP working hours for an extra four million people going to hospital each year. The changes introduced by the Labour government in 2004 allowed doctors to opt out of out of hours care for a reduction in salary.

ISIS Equity Partners has invested in Create Health Limited, the London based fertility provider. It has done so to the tune of £5m on behalf of the Baronsmead VCTs.

GPs and other primary care staff need empowerment to lead a more proactive approach to prevention and help people remain healthy into old age, according to a new report written by the Nuffield Trust.

Industry players have welcomed the findings of Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of the NHS, in his review into the UK’s cosmetic surgery industry which has finally reported. The review assessed the current rules in England, investigating products, practitioners, insurance, patient information and consent, advertising and marketing of cosmetic interventions.

Foresters Friendly Society has launched a new GP Consultation Service which provides its members with access to medical advice around the clock. The new service is part of the Foresters Extras package (providing discretionary optical and dental grants, a legal advice helpline, and a discounted will writing service) which is available to all Foresters members when they take out a policy.

Bupa is closing the independent Board of the Bupa Foundation, the medical research charity. The board will cease to fund and manage medical research grants, taking effect on 28 June 2013.

The Doctors Laboratory, the provider of clinical pathology services, in its report and financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2102, showed turnover was up to £50.9m (2011: £41.3m). Cost of sales was £35.6m (2011: £25.5m). Administrative expenses were £7.4m (2011: £6.4m), which along with other operating income of £584,000 (2011: £411,000) and interest payments of £146,000 (2011: £132,000) led to a profit before tax of £8.3m (2011: £9.7m). The directors say: We have experienced increased activity in the NHS pathology opportunities, and the resulting increase in bid costs has led to the reduction in after tax profits. These tenders are complex and can take between one and two years to finalise.

Wiltshire Medical Services, which recently acquired Telehealth Solutions, is re-branding to become Medvivo. It serves 450,000 patients through a combination of GP Urgent Care Services, a Single point of Access, Discharge Planning Support and Telecare programmes. Telehealth Solutions will be absorbed by the Medvivo Group and continue to work in partnership with NHS organisations to provide high quality services and technology solutions. The new company describes itself as a new breed of assistive technology (AT) provider consisting of an integrated primary care focused organisation with market leading expertise across a broad range of remote management services.’

Spire, the UK’s largest hospital provider, in its annual report for the year ended 31 December 2012 showed revenue up 9.6% to £739.0m from £674.0m in 2011. Operating expenses were £534.6m. Exceptional items of £11.9m for corporate restructuring, refinancing and regulatory costs, £6.0m for PIP patient recalls, £2.6m for reorganisation and set up costs, £2.7m for rent and £51.5m depreciation left an operating profit of £129.7m (2011: £134.1m). EBITDAR (pre-exceptional items) was £204.0m, being 28% of revenue, making Spire best in class’ for its KPI (2011: £188.2m).