BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK. January 19th 2026 – After waves of consolidation in optometry, dentistry and veterinary services, investors are starting to ask whether podiatry is next. Verilo, specialist healthcare M&A, breaks it down.
Over the past decade, corporate groups and private equity have transformed several corners of UK healthcare.
In dentistry, Bridgepoint reported the £800m acquisition of MyDentist, at an inferred multiple of around 10x EV/EBITDA (enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation). Deals like this show what scaled platforms can achieve.
Market data from Christie & Co shows that associate-led UK dental practices now change hands at an average of 6.5x–8x EBITDA, with private-led clinics at the upper end of that range.
In the veterinary sector, consolidation has gone even further.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) estimates that around 60% of UK vet practices are now owned by large corporate groups, up from around 10% in 2013, with vet service prices rising by 63% between 2016 and 2023.
That corporate roll-up model has attracted global private equity and prompted a full market investigation, with provisional findings published in October 2025.
Optometry has followed a similar path. Specsavers alone is investing over £85,000 a day into its UK and Ireland practices, emphasising the scale of capital now flowing into high-street clinical services.
According to Verilo, which completed over 100 healthcare transactions representing more than £30m in value, podiatry shows early consolidation signals similar to those sectors mentioned.
Joshua Catlett, Verilo founder, says, “The playbook is familiar. You have strong demographic demand, fragmented provision, and services that sit right at the intersection of clinical need and commercial opportunity. Podiatry is ticking those boxes, and buyers are starting to notice.”
The UK podiatry market continues to expand, driven by an ageing population, rising diabetes and musculoskeletal conditions, and more awareness of foot and lower-limb health.
According to a market report, the global podiatry services market had an estimated value of USD 4.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach approximately USD 5 billion by 2028. The UK, with its large elderly population and high diabetes rates, represents a significant share of that growth.
At the same time, podiatry is inherently commercial.
Practices typically blend routine care with higher-value services, like biomechanics and gait analysis, minor surgical procedures, sports and performance work, orthotics, and sometimes cosmetic podiatry.
That mix produces diversified income streams that many buyers find attractive.
KPMG Corporate Finance identified podiatry as presenting “an attractive consolidation opportunity,” noting the sector is “highly fragmented” and “largely served by smaller private practices, presenting an opportunity to embark on a roll-up strategy.”
In the UK, investment is also flowing into adjacent musculoskeletal and foot-health businesses.
For example, orthotics provider TalarMade recently secured private equity backing from Rockpool to fund acquisitions and expand its footprint, signalling growing institutional interest in the market.
Verilo’s 2025 Healthcare M&A Market Report indicates that most independent medical and allied health practices transact at around 3.5x–6x EBITDA, depending on size, margin and speciality.
By contrast, dental practices commonly achieve mid-to high-single-digit multiples, with larger groups and platforms at or near double-digit levels.
Against that backdrop, Catlett says well-run podiatry practices are starting to attract interest and pricing conversations that sit toward the upper end of the allied health range.
“We’re seeing more buyers build podiatry explicitly into their strategy. They’re looking for regional clusters, strong referral relationships, and practices that can plug into wider MSK and chronic disease pathways. For owners who have built reputable podiatry businesses, there is a window opening where buyer appetite and strategic logic line up.”
For prospective sellers, that creates both an opportunity and a challenge.
Practices demonstrating strong financials, clear clinical governance, and defined growth, through offerings like multidisciplinary MSK, are likely to be early beneficiaries if consolidation accelerates.
“Podiatry won’t become dentistry or veterinary care tomorrow, but the direction of travel is clear. The sector has solid fundamentals and a lot of independent practices. If we do see a genuine roll-up phase, it will be the prepared clinics, with clean numbers, processes and a clear proposition, that secure the best terms.”
Verilo reports an increase in both inbound enquiries from podiatry owners exploring valuations and from buyers specifically referencing podiatry in their acquisition briefs, suggesting the market’s “next wave” may already be forming.
ENDS