TPG is on the verge of a multi-billion pound deal to acquire the supplier of the electronic patient record system used by the majority of Britain's GPs. The American private equity giant is in advanced negotiations to purchase Optum's UK operation, which is owned by the New York-listed healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group. The deal, which could be announced in the coming weeks, is valued at around £1.2bn-£1.4bn, according to sources. If concluded, the transaction will come just two years after the business last changed hands. The takeover was engineered under the stewardship of Sir Andrew Witty, the former GlaxoSmithKline boss who has now stepped down as UnitedHealth's chief executive. The US-listed company's stock has fallen by exactly a third over the last year, leaving it with a market capitalization of just under $310bn. The prospective sale is part of efforts by Sir Andrew's successor, Stephen Hemsley, to arrest the company's alarming valuation decline. Optum's takeover of EMIS, a business within Optum UK, was approved in September 2023 by British competition regulators following an in-depth Phase 2 investigation. TPG and Optum both declined to comment. But here's where it gets controversial... The deal has sparked debate about the future of healthcare technology in the UK. Some argue that the sale could lead to a loss of control over patient data, while others believe it could bring much-needed investment and innovation. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
