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  • Status: Realised
  • Date: 2009–2013
  • Sector:
    • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Buy & Build: 15

www.candchealthcare.co.uk

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City & County Healthcare

City & County provides a full range of domestic and personal care support services, which can be personalised to best meet the needs of the individual and so enable each service user to live as independently as possible. At the end of Sovereign's investment and partnership, City & County had grown to become the fourth largest domiciliary care provider in the UK.

Investment Background

City & County was formed in 2009 following Sovereign's acquisition of London Care, one of the largest domiciliary care businesses in the UK at the time. London Care offered personal support to individuals, particularly the elderly, in their own homes.

At the time of the original investment, Sovereign committed funding to deliver a strategy that would expand the Group's reach and develop its service offering. Sovereign also put in place a highly experienced group management team led by Craig Rushton, CEO, and supported by Mark Harrison, Finance Director.

Value Creation

  • Number of service users grew by 300%
  • Diversified the service offering
  • Grew from a regional to national provider

The City & County Growth Story

Sovereign worked with the management team to deliver significant organic and acquisitive growth, expanding the range of services the company provided and enhancing the quality of care offered to service users.

Over the course of Sovereign's investment, City & County:

  • More than quadrupled the number of hours of care it provides per week, from c.30,000 at investment to c.145,000 today
  • Expanded geographically from a regional to a national provider. At investment, City & County operated from 13 branches in and around London. At exit the Group operated 64 branches across England, Northern Ireland and Wales
  • Acquired 15 high-quality complementary businesses that were successfully integrated into the Group
  • Grew the number of service users by more than 300% to 15,200
  • Extended its service offering into children and adults with learning disabilities and other special needs

At the end of Sovereign's partnership, City & County had become the fourth largest domiciliary care provider in the UK.


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In their own words

City & County's goal was to expand from a regional into a national provider, and with Sovereign's financial and strategic support we achieved that goal in a short space of time. Sovereign's understanding of the market dynamics, ability to directly source acquisitions and commitment to enhancing quality were key components in our growth.

Craig Rushton / CEO