UK: CMA finds concerns in mental health merger

On Wednesday the UK’s antitrust authority said Wednesday that Universal Health Services’ £377 million (US$410 million) buy last year of Cambian Group’s adult services division has been found to hurt competition in certain parts of the country.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released the provisional findings of its investigation into the merger.

In a statement the CMA said, “The inquiry group conducting the phase 2 investigation found that clinical commissioning groups, as the main customers of these types of hospitals, would face a reduction in choice, quality or value as a result of the merger when seeking to refer male patients in the East Midlands and female patients in the West Midlands suffering from long-term mental illness.”

As well as the provisional findings, a notice of possible remedies has been published which outlines ways the companies could address these competition concerns, including the sale of hospitals in the affected areas.

Full Content: Gov UK

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