LaingBuisson Newsletter Archives

Tunstall Healthcare Group Ltd, which provides telehealth and telecare services internationally, reported global revenue growth of 27% to £182.1m for the year ending 30 September 2012 (2011: £143.2m), additional revenues coming primarily from overseas acquisitions including American Medical in the States and STT Condigi in the Nordic region (£35.8m), but also with a pleasing contribution of £5.5m from organic growth of 9% in UK operations. Operating profit before amortisation of goodwill and exceptional items was £43.5m (2011: £37.3m), but after deductions of £26.7m (amortisation of goodwill on acquisitions) and £6.4m (operating exceptional items) Tunstall was left with operating profits of just £10.3m (2011: £11.1m).

Yorkshire-based care provider, Orchard Care Homes has won a contract operate 40 former Southern Cross care homes in the south of England and Wales. The value of the contract was not disclosed but Orchard now operates 110 care homes – making it one of the largest providers in the UK.

GMB Union is seeking up to £4m in compensation for 1,500 care home workers transferred from Southern Cross to Bondcare Homes in 2011.

Mr Feldman has worked at BMI Healthcare in a senior marketing and business development role for the past three years. In this time, he helped develop a number of initiatives which were subsequently rolled out nationally, including the specialist GP conference strategies which have helped to drive the growth of cardiology, gastrointestinal and orthopaedic revenues at core BMI Healthcare hospitals.

In an industry as heavily regulated as healthcare, it was remarkable that the excesses and faults of the cosmetic interventions sector were so long ignored. Until, that is, the PIP Implant fraud brought angry women to the door of the former Secretary of State for Health, and he set the talented professional Professor Sir Bruce Keogh (with others) to unearth the truth, which he did in a criticising report last April. He revealed this sector of the healthcare industry to be in professional disarray – characterised by Dr Dan Poulter MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health in his response as murky practices of a cosmetic industry rapidly expanding’. To paraphrase the NHS Medical Director, he told the industry to get professional and do for cosmetic interventions what you do for other medical interventions; the patient must be king, not profit. Tell your patients the truth, and care for them properly. He also called the industry a datafree zone.

The Department of Health is working with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS England to produce guidance for GPs on charging care homes for primary care services.

Eye care specialist Optegra has continued its rapid expansion, helping drive turnover up by 34% in the year ended 30 June 2013.

Neil Buckley taken over as chief executive of HCA’s Wellington Hospital in North London following the retirement of Keith Hague, who has headed up the hospital for the past 11 years. Mr Buckley was previously chief executive of HCA’s Harley Street Clinic, where he oversaw its reconfiguration and expansion. His deputy, Aida Yousefi, has been appointed acting CEO while a permanent replacement is being sought.

Providing adult social care services in England will soon be unsustainable’ if current budgetary pressures continue, and significant measures are not taken to inject new money into local social care economies and using NHS funding as a sticking plaster’ is doomed to fail.

Health cash plan provider Medicash Health Benefits Limited has reported a small increase in earned premiums to £20.7m for the year ended 31 December 2013 (2012: £20.4m).