NUFFIELD Hospitals has agreed the sale of nine of its sites, including one in East Anglia, to the General Healthcare Group. The hospitals, in Birmingham, Bury St Edmunds, Gerrards Cross, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Lancaster, Lincoln, North London and Nottingham, will become part of BMI Healthcare, General Healthcare Group's acute private hospital division.

NUFFIELD Hospitals has agreed the sale of nine of its sites, including one in East Anglia, to the General Healthcare Group.

The hospitals, in Birmingham, Bury St Edmunds, Gerrards Cross, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Lancaster, Lincoln, North London and Nottingham, will become part of BMI Healthcare, General Healthcare Group's acute private hospital division.

Ownership of the nine hospitals is due to transfer on February 1, 2008, although the date remains subject to change to ensure that the change of control involves a minimum of disruption.

The sale of the sites, for an undisclosed sum, is part of Nuffield's strategy to focus on a broader range of of services.

David Mobbs, Nuffield Hospitals Group chief executive, said: “I would like to sincerely thank the staff and consultants for their continuing professionalism and dedication and wish them well for the future. We are confident that the hospitals will continue to play an important role in their communities as part of BMI Healthcare.

“For Nuffield, we will focus on our remaining hospitals and on new markets and opportunities in line with our intention to provide a broader range of health services.”

Adrian Fawcett, chief executive of General Healthcare Group, added: “We are delighted to have agreed terms on the purchase of these hospitals. We are very excited about the role that these facilities will play in our future, and we warmly welcome the staff and consultants into the BMI Healthcare family.

“We will work very closely with Nuffield Hospitals to take care of patients and employees during the coming period.”

The contract negotiation process was concluded rapidly, with the buyer having been selected from a shortlist of interested parties last Friday.

The sale process was led by Trish Cassidy, Nuffield Hospitals' commercial director, who said: “For Nuffield Hospitals, it wasn't just about the price a buyer was willing to pay: we also needed to be confident that the buyer had the capability and resources to take good care of these hospitals from day one.

“On that basis, only existing UK providers were considered, and GHG emerged as a clear winner. They are obviously excited about the future of these hospitals.”