Private equity firm TPG is closing in on a £1bn-plus deal to acquire Optum UK, the supplier of electronic patient record systems used by the majority of NHS GPs, from US healthcare group UnitedHealth, according to a report by Sky News.
The transaction, which could be announced in the coming weeks, is expected to value the business at around £1.2bn to £1.4bn, although talks are ongoing and a deal has yet to be finalised. Optum UK includes EMIS, which UnitedHealth acquired in 2023 for about £1.2bn following approval from UK competition regulators.
One private equity source reportedly said TPG may look to combine Optum UK with Nextech, a US-based electronic medical records provider. The sale process has been advised by Bank of America and has also attracted interest from other buyout firms, including Blackstone.
The prospective divestment forms part of efforts by UnitedHealth’s leadership to address a sharp decline in its share price.
