[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]July 16, 2019

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co have provided an overview of the care market in the first half of 2019, reflecting on developments in the market, emerging trends and challenges facing the sector, following the publication of Christie & Co’s Business Outlook 2019 report in January this year.

As care operators have continued to focus on improving quality and operational effectiveness, which Christie & Co highlighted in its Business Outlook report, the development of new, purpose built care facilities has remained a key focus into this year. Activity has also remained high, with investor demand seen from across the industry with private equity, REITs, regional operators and corporate groups looking to consolidate, along with yields continuing to compress.

In terms of key corporate headlines, at the end of April, it was announced that administrators had been appointed in respect of Four Seasons Health Care, the UK’s second biggest operator. The move seeks to decouple the operational business from the burden of debt it faces and, as such, the administration relates to the financial holding companies as opposed to the operational business which continues to trade as normal. A decision has however been taken to place the operational business on the market and, once the process concludes, Christie & Co expects that the business will move forward in a positive way with a new ownership structure in place.

Following on shortly after the announcement of the FSHC administration and sales process was the successful conclusion of Impact Healthcare REIT’s fund raise. After setting out to raise £25m in equity, the process closed at c.£100m, nearly four times oversubscribed. Christie & Co notes that this outcome further reinforces the strength of the market and investor demand, particularly given the timing relative to the FSHC announcement.

While some businesses face financial challenges with local authority fee rates and staff recruitment, sentiment remains positive as the needs-based market shows growth and resilience to macro events. Christie & Co also notes that as the market enters a new fiscal year, with local authority fee rates being reviewed, there is potential for financial pressures to ease for operators in some areas.

Industry trends

As Christie & Co anticipated in its Business Outlook report, 2019 has seen a continuation of the trend of consolidation in the market, with recent announcements including Impact’s purchase of four sites and Swanton bolstering its adult supported living and specialist childcare offering with acquisitions in the first half of this year.

The housing with care market has also been growing and Christie & Co expects to see an increasing trend of dynamic housing with care models coming to the market in the UK, which will be built and operated with a greater understanding of the need for care provision and lifestyle amenities within older persons accommodation. This part of the market is continually evolving as new developments are completed and new entrants enter the market.

Government Green Paper

The Government’s highly anticipated Green Paper, originally announced in 2017, on funding has still yet to emerge, however with Theresa May’s recent resignation announcement, it is difficult to anticipate what to expect in the second half of 2019.

Brexit

As a needs-based sector, activity and demand in care remains largely unimpeded by Brexit developments directly, though Christie & Co notes there is a direct impact on staff recruitment, particularly with the current nurse shortage the industry is facing.

For the past four years, Christie & Co has produced its report on adult social care which showcases benchmarking data gathered from extensive surveys of operators and local authorities. With the review now under way for 2019, further insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the sector will be provided this year.

“Healthcare remains a very attractive sector to invest in for a wide variety of funds,” said Michael Hodges, managing director – healthcare consultancy at Christie & Co.

“These fundamentals are unlikely to change given the very strong underlying demographic trends. All the ingredients are in place for a strong second half although there remains a risk that larger processes may continue to stall until there is clarity over the Brexit outcome.”[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”30716″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1563264401694{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1536940576920{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] ')} [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]