Practice Mergers And Acquisitions

There has been a clear trend in primary care over many years for GP practices, dentists and pharmacists to increase in size. This is reflective of the increased burden of regulation, the opportunities for economies of scale, and a widespread belief that larger practices deliver better clinical outcomes. The pace of change has if anything increased in recent years.

The process of merger or acquisition is determined by the kind of NHS contract held, the nature of the entities merging (sole practitioner, partnership or limited company), the retirement plans (if any) of the acquiree, the ownership of the surgery and sometimes the consent of the PCT.

We have successfully assisted in the acquisition or merger of numerous GP practices, dentists and pharmacists, and we have tried and tested approaches for most primary care business combinations. Since we understand how the regulations such as on the sale of goodwill restrict the available options, we often find that the process of PCT approval is accelerated once we are involved with a transaction.

Our services in this area include:

• Business due diligence
• Business acquisition agreements and warranties
• Partnership Agreements
• Staff TUPE transfers
• Variation and novation of NHS contracts and other contracts
• Property leases and transfers

Please contact Nils Christiansen