The original founders of Sheffield-based Pioneer Healthcare have bought back the NHS care provider from PHL Group four years after selling the business.<\/p>\n
Professor Prasad Godbole and John McMullan reacquired the company, which provides elective care, dermatology and therapy services to NHS trusts and integrated care boards across England.<\/p>\n
The buyback marks a return to independent ownership for Pioneer which was sold in 2022 to AIM-listed Totally in a deal valued up to \u00a313m. \u00a36.9m was payable on completion, on a cash-free and debt-free basis, and up to \u00a36.1m was payable on a deferred basis, based on the financial performance of Pioneer in the year ending 31 March 2022.<\/p>\n
In its\u00a0 accounts to 31 March 2021, Pioneer generated revenue of \u00a35.13m and profit before tax of \u00a30.80m.\u00a0The company remained profitable throughout the period\u00a0 of ownership by Totally and PHL and now has revenues of more than \u00a310m.<\/p>\n
In October 2025, Derby-based Totally was bought by PHL Group.<\/p>\n
Prof Godbole, co-founder and chief executive, said: “As the original founders, our heart has always been with Pioneer Healthcare. We saw an opportunity to return to our roots and lead the company with a long-term, people-first vision.”<\/p>\n
He added: “We believe that being founder-led allows us to be more agile, mission-driven, and focused on our core clinical values.”<\/p>\n
Both founders are senior NHS consultants who continued working within the business during the PHL Group ownership period.<\/p>\n
The company works with hospitals, commissioners and trusts to provide services through insourcing and outsourcing, all free at the point of treatment for NHS patients.<\/p>\n
Manchester-based Bamburgh Capital advised on the transaction.\u00a0\u00a0Co-founder Alex Clarkson of Bamburgh Capital, said: “With the founders back at the helm at Pioneer, we are looking forward to see them build a stronger future of growth for the business.”<\/p>\n
The deal value was not disclosed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sheffield-based care provider returns to independent, founder-led ownership following buyback from PHL Group, as it targets long-term NHS growth and service expansion<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":271992,"featured_media":2153095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"coauthors":[137100],"class_list":["post-2153086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","tag-featured-story","tag-yorkshire"],"yoast_head":"\n