Rising demand for private healthcare in the UK is reshaping how medical practices are owned, grown, and sold, according to business brokerage Verilo.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK. February 2nd 2026 – With NHS waiting lists at record highs, more patients are opting for private care. A YouGov survey found one in seven Britons turned to private healthcare in the past year, and sentiment is shifting further.
Data from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network shows 71% of people would now consider private care, up from 63% in 2023.
The shift is drawing increasing attention from investors and trade buyers who see private healthcare as a resilient, growth-oriented sector.
Verilo reports a material rise in buyer registrations, with a new prospective buyer joining their platform approximately every six hours in 2025.
Founder Joshua Catlett says demand is not just coming from traditional consolidators, but from a wider range of external buyers attracted by long-term demographic trends.
“Private healthcare is no longer a niche or boutique offering. It’s becoming a core part of the UK health ecosystem. Buyers see a sector with rising patient demand, strong fundamentals, and operational headroom for growth. For practice owners, that creates liquidity and choice that simply wasn’t available ten, even five years ago.”
Verilo has also seen growth on the seller side, driven by owner-operated practices that have expanded beyond what their founders originally intended.
Many clinicians started out working hands-on with patients, only to find that rising demand pushed them into management roles they were never supposed to have.
“Some practice owners describe themselves as accidental business owners. They set out to provide great clinical care, and the demand grew. Over time, their role shifts from treating patients to managing HR, staffing, and compliance. For many, selling the practice allows them to release capital while staying on clinically, and passing growth to an organisation better set up to scale.”
According to Verilo, this alignment of buyer appetite and seller motivation is creating a more professionalised transition market.
External transactions are becoming more common, with structured handovers that allow owners to retain clinical roles, sell in phases, or de-risk without stepping away entirely.
The firm reports continued year-on-year growth in completed sales and a 90% success rate, reflecting both liquidity and willingness on both sides of the market.
Catlett sees the shift as a sign of sector maturation, rather than disruption.
“Private healthcare is entering a new phase where ownership transitions are planned, orderly, and strategic. Buyers are looking for scale, and owners are looking for sustainability. Those forces are meeting in the middle.”
ENDS