Healthcare overview

Our specialist team has a deep understanding of the healthcare market thanks to its long-term involvement in the sector.

We are skilled commercial lawyers who appreciate the priorities of independent healthcare firms and investors, how they interact with each other and how they work with the NHS.

With the Health and Social Care Bill creating uncertainty, and reform and restructuring always on the agenda, we recognise the challenges facing PCTs, NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts.

As specialists in health sector development schemes and PPPs, we regularly support sponsors, contractors and investors as well as the NHS in structuring and delivering complex projects involving new/refurbished NHS and private healthcare facilities.

We are also involved in a variety of facilities management outsourcing arrangements and contracts involving long-term medical equipment supply and maintenance services to NHS hospitals.

Nabarro is a market leader in real estate. We have the expertise to support clients in pursuing opportunities in health sector leasing and development schemes, including primary healthcare facilities, acute hospitals and specialist treatment centres.

We are also closely tracking NHS estate rationalisation and progress of the new Government- owned property holding company for NHS surplus assets.


Why are we different?

Large commercial UK firms with a strong, integrated healthcare practice like ours are rare.

We have the right mix of skills and expertise to deliver bespoke support to a broad range of health sector clients - from specialist regulatory advice to large scale corporate, commercial and real estate transactions involving cross-disciplinary teams of lawyers, all with in-depth knowledge of the health sector.

Examples of our recent work:

Primary Health Properties is one of the largest providers of modern primary healthcare facilities in the UK. The Nabarro team advised on an intergroup transfer, a new £75 million, seven year, interest only facility with Aviva and releases from existing funders.

HCA International is the owner and operator of some of the UK's premium brand private hospitals. It also works in partnership with NHS Trusts across the country. We advised HCA on its joint partnership with the Christie NHS Foundation to develop a state-of-the-art cancer care unit.

The Watford Health Campus project, a 26 hectare mixed use regeneration scheme, is currently one of the most high-profile Local Asset Backed Vehicle projects in the health and local authority market. We are advising Watford Borough Council and West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust on this innovative procurement and developed a full options analysis which was instrumental in structuring the procurement process and proposed commercial and financial arrangements.

Our clients include:

  • Virgin Healthcare
  • Care UK
  • Gracewell Healthcare
  • European Care
  • Primary Health Properties
  • Serco Health
  • Medical Defence Union
  • Thomson Reuters Scientific
  • Arthritis UK
  • HCA International
  • Apos Medical
  • Various NHS Trusts
  • The Department of Health

What our clients say:

“Nabarro’s healthcare practice provided us with practical, no nonsense, commercial advice and has always been reliable and responsive. Importantly, they know the market in which we operate.”
Harry Hyman, Managing Director, Primary Health Properties PLC and
publisher of Health Investor magazine

Client story

 Virgin Healthcare
        Acquisition of Accura Medical

Our latest alerts, briefings & reports
Nabarro briefings and reports
  • Sector focus: the legislative framework for NHS trust insolvency  
Many hospitals are facing insolvency as a result of a variety of complex factors. Yet it is vital, both politically and socially, that NHS services are maintained.  View full briefing
  • Government consults on compulsory data protection audits for NHS  
The Government has launched a consultation on whether NHS organisations should be made subject to compulsory data protection audits (the Consultation). The Consultation will be of keen interest not only to those in the NHS but to those who work with the NHS. View full briefing
  • Court applies procurement award criteria  
For public authorities struggling with mounting challenges to tenders and increasingly stringent transparency requirements, a recent, common-sense ruling by the Scottish Court of Session is likely to provide some relief. View full briefing
  • Healthcare Industry Barometer 2013  
Sector focus - community services View full briefing
  • ONEL: what constitutes genuine use of a Community Trade Mark?   
On 19 December 2012, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its long-anticipated judgment in the ONEL/OMEL case. This reference from the Court of Appeal of the Hague sought guidance on the question of whether use of a Community Trade Mark (CTM) in a single member state constitutes genuine use in the Community.  View full briefing