Carewatch continues 2010 growth strategy with latest regional acquisitions

Online, April 15, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Homecare specialist announces three more purchases

The UK's national provider of local home and support, Carewatch, announces three more regional acquisitions. The Lyceum Capital backed company has purchased Midlands-based homecare organisation All and Small and two current franchisee businesses: Carewatch North Tyneside and Carewatch Swansea. This move brings the acquisition total to 11 in recent months.

These acquisitions reflect Carewatch's continued drive on quality and its growing portfolio of services. All and Small has an 'excellent' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for its homecare and mental health care services. Carewatch North Tyneside has been serving its local community since 2003 and has specialist experience in the provision of Learning Disabilities and Mental Health services whilst Carewatch Swansea provides a wide range of homecare services to the second largest city in Wales and its surrounding areas.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of two recent acquisitions: Always There Homecare and Four Seasons Homecare, and is a further signal of Carewatch's ambitions since the Lyceum Capital-backed take over of the business in October 2008.

Supported by Lyceum Capital, the management team, led by Chief Executive Officer David Lyon, Chief Operating Officer Mike Horgan and Commercial Director Simon Overgage plan to continue this acquisition strategy, and focus on building a market leading organisation based on Carewatch's person-centred approach underpinned by benchmark standards of quality care and support.

David Lyon comments: "These most recent purchases strengthen our already comprehensive network. Our ongoing acquisition growth strategy is based upon the identification and purchase of high quality local businesses, which can benefit and flourish by being part of a national network, backed by our strong infrastructure.

"Carewatch is committed to keeping quality standards high within the homecare services industry. We have had a very strong 18 months, with increases in turnover, performance and hours of care delivered. Total hours of care delivery now exceed 195,000 hours per week across the UK, and our quality ratings are above the national comparator. Carewatch remains dedicated to working with individuals, local authorities and other organisations to provide quality, person-centred, care and support to individuals and families within their own homes, enabling them to preserve their independence with dignity."

Philip Buscombe, Chairman of Lyceum Capital, added: "We are pleased with the Company's progress and are happy to provide additional capital for a limited number of franchisees who wish to realise value from the businesses that they have built up in partnership with Carewatch."

About Carewatch
The national provider of local home care, Carewatch, has been delivering care and support services to people across the since 1993. The company was founded on the principle of setting the benchmark standard in the provision of the highest quality of care, staff and services and this has always remained the case. Today, Carewatch provides over 22,000 people of all ages with more than 195,000 hours of care and support services each week from some 149 offices across the UK helping people maintain independence in their own homes.

In addition to elderly care services, Carewatch provides other support services to adults and children with learning/physical disabilities, those with mental health needs; informal carers, enabling them to take a break from their caring commitments; people with dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other long-term illness or condition; people requiring end-of-life care; people discharged from hospital and many other unique care and support situations.

Carewatch has vast experience in delivering local personalised services. The company ethos is recognised as personal, caring and supportive. Customers are able to retain their independence, dignity and security, in their own homes, from its care and support workers.

All our offices are registered with the government regulator for their particular country - in Wales the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), in Scotland the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care/Scottish Care Commission (SCRC), and in England the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Please visit www.carewatch.co.uk for more information.

About Lyceum Capital:

Lyceum Capital is an independent private equity firm which is investing in innovative and growing UK-headquartered businesses.

Lyceum Capital works alongside management teams to increase scale and capture market share by investing in revenue growth and infrastructure, driving operational improvements, supporting organic growth and sourcing and funding complementary acquisitions.