South: Smith & Williamson sells Bluebird Care to Interim Healthcare Inc

With the support of Smith & Williamson, Bluebird Care, the largest UK care-at-home franchisor with 180 offices in the UK and Republic of Ireland, is now part of the Interim Healthcare Inc Group based in Florida USA. 

Formed in 1966 Interim Healthcare Inc is the most established US care franchisor with over 300 franchised offices throughout the US and is backed by a specialist healthcare private equity firm, The Halifax Group. The senior management of Bluebird Care: Paul Tarsey, Simon Dalziel and Lisa Tarsey will remain with the company.

Tarsey, Bluebird Care managing director and co-founder, said: “Smith & Williamson through their international alliance, MAI, introduced Interim Healthcare Inc. We quickly saw the benefits of working with someone who was used to the franchising model in care at home and the cultural fit with Interim was excellent.

"Amanda Phillips and her team at Smith & Williamson demonstrated an outstanding knowledge of the healthcare industry and cross border transactions which was crucial in ensuring we navigated safely through what was a complex M&A process.”

Phillips, who is corporate finance director at Smith & Williamson, said: “Smith & Williamson was delighted to have the opportunity to work with the founders of Bluebird Care over a period of time to help them realise their ambitions. This involved advising Bluebird on exit preparation as well as running an international process to identify a partner with the right cultural fit. This culminated in bringing in a US private equity house to the UK for the first time in this particular area. As the care provider of choice in the privately-funded market the new alliance is well positioned to continue its growth strategy and we wish them well.”