Four Seasons in bid for specialist care provider

FOUR Seasons Health Care has made a bid for specialist care provider Care Principles.

Wilmslow-based Four Seasons – which still owes more than £780m to lenders after a debt for equity swap late last year – is locked in negotiations to takeover the Suffolk business which provides more than 430 beds in 18 secure hospitals, community hospitals and care homes in the UK, and employs 1,500 staff.

Four Seasons is one of the largest independent providers of care services in the UK, operating more than 420 nursing and care homes and employing around 21,000 staff.

In a statement the company said: “Four Seasons Health Care and Barclays Capital are in negotiations with a view to Four Seasons Health Care taking over the business operations of Care Principles, with Barclays Capital retaining ownership of the properties.

“Should a definitive agreement be reached, it would be subject to regulatory approval by the Care Quality Commission. In the event that a transaction is concluded Care Principles’ employees would transfer to Four Seasons Health Care under TUPE provisions.”