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The Priory Healthcare Logo
Branch of The Priory in Hove

Priory is a provider of mental health care and addiction rehabilitation facilities in the United Kingdom. The group operates at more than 500 sites with over 7,000 beds. Its flagship hospital is the Priory Hospital, Roehampton,[1] which is best known for treating celebrities[2] particularly for drug addiction.[3] The Priory also manages schools, some for students with autism spectrum disorders through Priory Education and Children’s Services. Some of its facilities are run by its subsidiary Partnerships in Care. In January 2019 it opened its first overseas school in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge.[4]

Ownership

[edit]

In 1980 the Priory Hospital in Roehampton was acquired by Community Psychiatric, an American healthcare company,[5] and became the first clinic in what was to become the Priory.[6]

Priory was the subject of a management buyout, funded by Mercury Asset Management and several banks, in 1994.[6]

In 2000 Westminster Healthcare Group (a company owned by Dr Chai Patel) acquired Priory Hospitals from the management team and from Mercury Asset Management for £96 million.[7]

In 2002, the company was the subject of another management buyout, this time led by Doughty Hanson & Co, for £289 million.[8] The company was divested to ABN AMRO (later acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group) in July 2005 for £875 million, netting the five company directors over £50 million.[9]

Advent International took control for an aggregate consideration of £925 million in 2011.[10]

In October 2014, former Chief Executive, Tom Riall announced that the group was planning a significant expansion into the mental health community services market and would bid in partnership with “incumbent” NHS providers, an approach that would allow them to come up with new models of care. Anticipating more services to be put out to tender by Clinical commissioning groups, he noted that Priory could contribute "considerable commercial bidding expertise” and become the “overflow provider of choice” for the NHS.[11]

Acadia Healthcare bought the business for £1.3 billion in January 2016[12] and sold it to Waterland Private Equity for £1.1 billion in January 2021. Waterland plans to join it with MEDIAN of Germany "to create Europe’s leading rehabilitation and mental health services provider", especially in neurology and other post-acute services.[13]

In 2022, The Times reported that the healthcare chain faced "spiralling rental bills"[14] for its hospitals after its new owner Waterland agreed an £800 million sale and leaseback deal of 35 Priory healthcare facilities to Medical Hospitals Trust. The group considered increasing prices for care because it anticipates higher costs, including from rents, which are now subject to annual inflation-based escalators.[15]

In 2023, the Priory's loss before tax climbed sharply to £72.4 million from £16.9 million. According to its most recent accounts, the company reported a negative equity value of £203 million.[16]

In 2023, a British Medical Journal research paper found that healthcare provided by private equity-backed companies like the Priory was often more expensive and had "mixed to harmful impacts on quality".[17][18]

In 2024, Viceroy Research, a financial investigations research group, examined the sale-leaseback deals of the Priory's landlord MHT and accused it of falsely presenting the Priory as “a well capitalised and profitable machine” despite accumulating losses while under private equity ownership".[16] In a report, Viceroy found that the Priory has been "operationally loss-making for years and relies on the proceeds of sale-leaseback transactions to remain solvent" and that "Medical Properties Trust's (MPT) assertions about the solvency of its tenants are fairy tales told to shareholders and analysts. MPT's rent roll is almost exclusively distressed and management continues to portray these tenants as not only a going concern but a sound investment".[19]

Deaths in Priory care

[edit]

An investigation by The Times found that the number of reported deaths, including those from natural causes, in Priory facilities rose by 50% between 2017 and 2020.[20] In 2021, NHS England, which contracts the Priory for over £400 million in mental health care contracts annually,[21] criticised the group's chief executive for "repeated service failures" and complained that safety had not improved despite meetings with the Priory over the preceding two years.[22] In 2022, the Care Quality Commission identified that Priory hospitals faced criticism over the care related to at least 30 patient fatalities.[23]

The director of the INQUEST charity, Deborah Coles, said the "shocking death toll across Priory services continues" with "repeated systemic failings to protect the lives of people" in its care.[24]

After the suicide of a 14-year old girl, Amy El-Keria, funded by the NHS, at the group’s Ticehurst House hospital in East Sussex in 2012, a prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive. The company pleaded guilty to a charge of being an employer failing to discharge its duty to ensure people were not exposed to risk. It faced a fine of at least £2.4 million. The inquest jury found that the staff had failed to dial 999 quickly enough, had failed to call a doctor promptly and were not trained in CPR.[25]

Its hospital in High Wycombe, a 12-bed low-security unit for young people with learning disabilities or autism, which opened in April 2018 was closed in February 2019 after the Care Quality Commission rated it inadequate and said the staff lacked appropriate experience and skills. The company said that it could not recruit "an experienced, settled team of core nursing and clinical staff.”[26] The CQC rated three units run by Priory inadequate.[27]

In 2012, a patient went missing from the Priory Roehampton and shortly afterwards stood in front of a train. The Coroner concluded that "there were gross failures in his care, notably the failure to perform basic observations, followed by a deliberate falsification of the record".[28][29]

A teenage patient at the Priory Cheadle Royal Hospital took her own life in her room in 2014. The inquest heard that the hospital had "no coherent policy on how or how regularly observations should be conducted". The coroner wrote to the Priory chief executive to express concern at the "deplorable practice" of inadequate record keeping.[30]

A patient at the Chadwick Lodge mental health unit in Milton Keynes took his own life in 2015 when it was operated by the Priory. The coroner concluded that a failure to carry out proper observation checks "may have caused or contributed to his death".[31]

A racehorse owner took his own life just days after being discharged from the Priory North London hospital where he had been sectioned for his own safety in 2018. The inquest found risk assessments were poor, discharge planning was inadequate and there was no crisis plan.[32][33]

In 2018 a coroner at the inquest into the death of a teenage boy at the Priory North London hospital expressed concern at the "really serious failure" of staff to adequately monitor the boy and then falsify logs to appear as though they had. The Care Quality Commission rated safety and leadership on the wards as inadequate and risk management as ineffective.[34]

A retired university lecturer took his own life at the Priory Hospital Altrincham in 2019 and the coroner at his inquest found that staff had written up his observation records to "give the misleading flavour of authenticity".[35] He recommended the standardisation of observations across NHS and private hospitals.[36]

Two Priory hospitals, Kneesworth House in Hertfordshire and Priory Hospital Blandford, were rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission in July 2019. Admissions to Priory Hospital Blandford were suspended “until further notice”. The greatest problems at Kneesworth house were on the forensic wards.[37] Ellingham Hospital, in Attleborough was rated inadequate in November 2019. According to Priory “the fundamental issue . . . was structural: there are simply not enough skilled staff in the region to meet the highly specialised needs of the young people at Ellingham”. 88.2% of its 93 mental healthcare facilities in the UK have received the equivalent of good or better ratings.[38]

In 2020, a detained patient escaped over a garden fence at the Priory Hospital Altrincham and was found dead a few days later. The inquest jury found there was inadequate garden security and risk assessments, and staff failed to follow communication procedures and check essential handover information. The coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Order and noted that the Priory knew that the garden fence was unsafe because previous patients had escaped over it.[39]

A father of three killed himself at the Priory Arnold hospital in September 2020 after hearing voices and becoming fearful of discharge. Before his death, the Priory doctor had dismissed him as "malingering" to get better housing.[40] At the inquest, the Coroner ruled that neglect by the Priory and contributed to his death. He said the case was "one of the worst examples of care provided to a vulnerable, mentally ill patient" and that the care he received was "seriously flawed".[41]

In October 2021, safety problems and the incompetence of hospital staff at the Priory Hospital Kneesworth in Hertfordshire were reported by an undercover journalist in the documentary "Secure Hospital Uncovered (Exposure)" on ITV.[42][43][44]

St John’s House near Diss in Suffolk, a 49-bed hospital for adults living with learning disabilities and associated mental health issues was put in special measures in March 2021 after the Care Quality Commission rated it inadequate and accused staff of failing to ensure patients’ safety or dignity.[45]

In 2021, a female patient discharged herself from the Priory Roehampton hospital and was found dead a few days later. The Coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Order and said "matters of concern" were that the Priory made no follow up appointment; did not contact her family after she left and did not try to contact the patient again for 10 days.[46]

In April 2022, one of the UK’s leading forensic psychiatrists found that the Priory was responsible for two fundamental causes and 29 contributory factors of the death of a 23-year old NHS patient at Priory Hospital Woodbourne in Birmingham.[47] At the inquest, the jury found that the death was "contributed to by neglect" by the Priory and a prevention of future death report was issued by the coroner.[48] In this case, the Care Quality Commission decided that the failings of care were so severe that it launched a criminal prosecution of Priory Healthcare Ltd, which was convicted in March 2024 of exposing the patient to serious risk of harm at the Priory Hospital Woodbourne and fined £650,000, the biggest penalty in the company’s history.[49][50] After sentencing, the patient’s father described the Priory as a "calculating, cruel and fundamentally dangerous company".[51]

On Christmas Day 2022, a woman patient walked out of a secure ward at the Priory Arnold, near Nottingham, and was found dead on farmland on Boxing Day.[52] The inquest jury said there had been communication failures from all parties, inadequate risk management, missed opportunities to mitigate absconsion risk and insufficient senior oversight". The month after the patient’s death, the CQC carried out an unannounced inspection and found care standards "totally unacceptable".[53]

In 2022, a young mother died at the Priory Hospital Woking and the Coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Order. The jury found risk assessments were not performed in line with policy; incomplete observations; little evidence of staff engagement with the patient; therapy notes were not acted upon, and there was a lack of continuity in her care.[54]

In 2022, three young women died within two months of each other at the Priory Cheadle Royal hospital, near Manchester.[55] An inquest jury found the first death was "contributed to by neglect" by the hospital.[56] The jury said "serious inconsistencies existed across all levels of management in relation to her care plan" which resulted in the "inadequate care of a highly vulnerable patient." After the second death, the Coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Order and said that there was "an over-reliance by the NHS on independent providers for mental health beds".[57] After the third death the Coroner found that the hospital had given the patient so much medication that it resulted in profound sedation and the loss of her gag reflex.[58] When the Care Quality Commission rated the Priory Cheadle Royal  "inadequate" after the three deaths, Rebekah Cresswell, the Priory Chief Executive, responded saying she "disputed the factual accuracy of many aspects of the report".[59] Less than four months later a fourth young woman died at the same hospital.[60] The jury at her inquest concluded her death was caused by misadventure and the coroner called for urgent changes to mental health provision, warning that "unless something is different, there are going to be more deaths".[61]

In November 2023, Priory Hospital Roehampton was criminally convicted and fined £140,000 for inadequate patient safety measures, which were highlighted following a woman's death under their care.[62] A doctor at the hospital said there had been a "litany of basic errors" in her care and described the ward where she died as an "utter shambles".[63]

Notable patients

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See also: The Priory Hospital § Notable patients
The following is alphabetical list of notable people whom The Priory has treated:

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Priory Group

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from Grokipedia
The Priory Group is the United Kingdom's leading independent provider of specialist services, rehabilitation, and adult social care, operating a network of hospitals, clinics, and residential facilities that support over 26,000 individuals annually. Founded in 1980 with the acquisition of the historic Priory Hospital by an American healthcare firm, the group has grown through mergers and expansions to encompass treatments for conditions such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance misuse, learning disabilities, autism, and acquired brain injuries. Priory delivers inpatient, outpatient, day care, and online therapies, often in partnership with the , while maintaining private fee-based options starting from £75 per session. Its facilities include secure units for complex needs and specialized programs for children and older adults, with a focus on personalized recovery plans led by multidisciplinary teams. Ownership has shifted multiple times amid interests, including a 2016 acquisition by U.S.-based for approximately $1.89 billion, followed by a 2020 divestiture to for $1.47 billion due to regulatory competition concerns. The group has achieved prominence as a go-to provider for high-profile cases involving and behavioral health, yet it has encountered substantial controversies over care standards, including findings of inadequate safety and effectiveness at several sites, enforcement actions such as warning notices, and criminal fines—such as £650,000 imposed in 2024 for systemic failings linked to a 's absconding and fatal train collision. Former managers have reported internal pressures to maximize bed occupancy at the expense of clinical risks, contributing to incidents involving over 30 deaths scrutinized for operational lapses.

History

Founding and Early Expansion (1980s–1990s)

The Priory Group originated in 1980 through the acquisition of Priory Hospital Roehampton by Community Psychiatric Centers (CPC), a U.S.-based behavioral healthcare provider, which established the foundation for a network of private psychiatric facilities in the United Kingdom. Priory Hospital Roehampton, constructed as a private residence in 1811 and repurposed as a psychiatric hospital in 1872, became the inaugural site and operational hub for the emerging group. This move aligned with CPC's strategy to expand internationally, leveraging the hospital's established infrastructure for acute mental health treatment. Throughout the 1980s, the Priory Hospitals Group—initially under CPC's oversight—pursued organic growth and selective acquisitions of additional psychiatric hospitals, responding to increasing demand for specialized private care amid evolving public sector deinstitutionalization trends in the UK. By the early 1990s, the network had solidified its position through further hospital integrations, establishing itself as a prominent player in independent sector mental health services with a focus on inpatient psychiatric treatment. This expansion capitalized on regulatory shifts favoring private provision, enabling the group to scale from a single facility to multiple sites offering secure and acute care environments. By the late 1990s, the Priory Hospitals Group had grown into the second-largest provider of private acute psychiatric services in Britain, behind only state-run facilities, through sustained acquisition activity and operational enhancements that emphasized specialized programs for conditions such as and disorders. Ownership transitions, including CPC's eventual divestitures to entities like Magellan Health Services, facilitated continued momentum without disrupting core expansion efforts.

Major Acquisitions and Growth (2000s–2010s)

In 2002, Dr. Chai Patel, through a backed by Doughty Hanson & Co., acquired the Priory Hospitals Group, initiating a phase of operational expansion that included adding 11 new sites by 2005, encompassing psychiatric hospitals, schools, and community services. This period marked Priory's shift toward broader specialist healthcare, merging treatment with educational and therapeutic services. In July 2005, the enlarged group was sold to ABN Amro Capital for £875 million, reflecting its consolidated value post-buyout growth. The ownership transitioned to the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2007 amid broader financial restructuring. In January 2010, Priory expanded its portfolio by acquiring Affinity Healthcare Holdings Limited from Duke Street Capital for an undisclosed sum, integrating specialized facilities such as Cheadle Royal Hospital and Middleton St George Hospital, which focused on s, secure care, and neuro-rehabilitation. This acquisition, cleared by the Competition Commission, overlapped in adult treatment but enhanced Priory's capacity without significant market concentration concerns. Later that year, Priory pursued an valued at around £1.3 billion, signaling robust growth ambitions, though it was ultimately abandoned. In early 2011, global private equity firm acquired Priory from the Royal Bank of Scotland for an enterprise value of approximately £925 million, providing capital for accelerated development in and secure care sectors. Shortly thereafter, in mid-2011, Priory completed the purchase of Craegmoor Group, a Worcester-based provider of and independent hospitals for individuals with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs, further diversifying its adult care offerings for an undisclosed amount. Under Advent's stewardship through the mid-2010s, Priory invested in network scaling, achieving over 300 facilities and 7,200 beds by 2016, driven by demand for independent sector services amid NHS commissioning pressures.

Recent Developments and Ownership Changes (2020s)

In December 2020, U.S.-based Acadia Healthcare announced the sale of Priory Group to Dutch private equity firm Waterland Private Equity for approximately £1.08 billion (equivalent to $1.47 billion USD at the time), with the transaction expected to close in January 2021. The deal marked Acadia's exit from the UK market after acquiring Priory in 2016 for $850 million, representing a modest financial gain for Acadia amid rising demand for mental health services. Following completion in early 2021, Waterland integrated Priory with its portfolio company Median Kliniken, a German behavioral healthcare provider, to form a larger European platform under the Median umbrella. To support post-acquisition liquidity and operations, entered into a major sale-leaseback arrangement in January 2021, selling a portfolio of 40 behavioral health facilities valued at £800 million to U.S. (MPT), with long-term leases back to . This transaction, conditioned on Waterland's acquisition closing, provided upfront capital but committed to elevated rental obligations, contributing to subsequent financial pressures. Additional sale-leasebacks followed, including five sites sold to MPT in 2023 for £43.7 million on similar terms. Leadership transitioned with the appointment of Rebekah Cresswell as Priory's UK CEO on November 1, 2021, the first woman in the role, overseeing healthcare and adult care divisions amid the Median integration. Under Waterland's ownership, Priory pursued expansion, including the acquisition of Victoria House, a residential service for adults with learning disabilities, from Renovo Care Group on October 6, 2025, enhancing its specialist care capacity. By mid-2025, Priory's accounts reflected improved trading performance but persistent high indebtedness, with net debt exceeding £1 billion, attributable in part to leverage and property deals. Waterland retained ownership as of October 2025, focusing on operational efficiencies in and adult social care amid UK sector demand growth.

Services and Operations

Core Treatment Programs

The Priory Group provides a range of evidence-based treatment programs primarily focused on conditions and recovery, delivered through multidisciplinary teams comprising psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and therapists. These programs emphasize individualized care plans, integrating pharmacological interventions, , and holistic wellness activities such as and exercise. Services are available in inpatient, outpatient, and online formats across the , with inpatient options offering 24/7 supervised care for acute needs and outpatient modalities providing flexible, community-based support. Mental health programs address over 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), (PTSD), , attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), disorders, and . Core therapies include cognitive behavioural (CBT) to challenge maladaptive thought patterns, dialectical behaviour (DBT) for emotion regulation and interpersonal skills, and medication management such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depressive and anxiety disorders. Inpatient treatment occurs in specialized hospitals with structured daily routines, while outpatient services involve weekly sessions or online via secure video platforms, accommodating evenings and weekends for accessibility. Specialized pathways exist for adolescents through child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and for complex cases requiring rehabilitation and recovery (R&R) support. Addiction treatment targets both substance dependencies—such as alcohol and drugs—and behavioural addictions like , use, and compulsive shopping. Programs typically begin with a comprehensive assessment followed by medically supervised , lasting 7-10 days for safe withdrawal management. The core rehabilitation phase often spans 28 days in residential settings, incorporating group and , CBT to address relapse triggers, and DBT for impulse control. Outpatient and remote options supplement for less severe cases, with free aftercare provided for 12 months post-treatment, including ongoing and support groups to sustain recovery. Eating disorder programs form a distinct core offering, treating conditions like and through residential and outpatient models at dedicated clinics. These involve nutritional rehabilitation, CBT-enhanced approaches to disrupt patterns, and family-based therapy, with providing medical stabilization for severe or medical complications. Additional specialized programs include autism spectrum assessments for children and adults, conducted outpatient by trained experts yielding detailed diagnostic reports, and R&R services for individuals with enduring needs requiring long-term structured support. All programs prioritize data-driven outcomes and seamless transitions between care levels, often in partnership with the (NHS).

Facilities and Network

The Priory Group operates an extensive network of healthcare facilities across the , primarily in , specializing in inpatient and outpatient treatment, rehabilitation, neurorehabilitation, secure care, adult social care, and educational services for children with behavioral and neurodevelopmental needs. As of late 2022, the group was registered with the for 63 hospital locations delivering psychiatric, neurorehabilitation, and secure services, alongside 208 adult social care sites including residential homes and arrangements. These facilities support a range of care pathways, from acute inpatient hospitalization for conditions like depression, anxiety, and to community-based rehabilitation and long-term residential support for adults with learning disabilities or acquired brain injuries. Key inpatient hospitals include Priory Hospital Roehampton in southwest , a 52-bed facility established in 1872 offering specialized programs for eating disorders, , and complex issues, and Priory Hospital North London in , providing acute psychiatric care and child and adolescent services. Outpatient wellbeing centres, numbering in the dozens nationwide, facilitate rapid access to therapies, assessments, and day programs without overnight stays. The network also encompasses secure units for patients under the Mental Health Act requiring medium or low secure environments, as well as neurorehabilitation centres like those focused on brain injury recovery. Recent expansions have bolstered specialist capabilities, including the October 2025 acquisition of Victoria House in for enhanced brain injury rehabilitation services, adding to the group's portfolio of over 270 facilities with approximately 4,300 beds serving 26,000 individuals annually. A multi-million-pound service upgrade in Preston further extended inpatient capacity for complex cases. As of early 2025, broader network estimates cite around 290 facilities and 5,000 beds supporting 28,000 people, reflecting ongoing growth through acquisitions and infrastructure investments.

Integration with Public Health Systems

The Priory Group integrates with the UK's (NHS) primarily through commissioned contracts for specialist , addiction, and secure care services, where it provides capacity that supplements public sector shortages. Over 85% of Priory's services are funded publicly via NHS referrals and commissioning arrangements with NHS trusts, , and regional bodies in , , and . This integration enables seamless patient pathways, with Priory facilities often serving as step-up or step-down care from NHS acute services. Priory aligns its treatment protocols with NHS standards to facilitate referrals, modeling , community-based, and secure services on NHS specifications for consistency in care delivery. For instance, its secure services for medium- and low-secure patients follow NHS secure service models, while child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for eating disorders and acute are structured to match NHS commissioning frameworks. Approximately 98% of Priory patients are referred by the NHS, underscoring the provider's role in addressing bed shortages and waiting lists. Financially, this integration involves multi-year contracts awarded through NHS procurement processes, such as direct awards under the Provider Selection Regime or competitive tenders for specialized beds and community services. Examples include a £1.8 million contract with Partnership NHS for additional beds and ongoing arrangements with for regional specialized commissioning, hosted by teams like and East. The NHS's to private providers like for reached £2 billion annually by 2022, reflecting systemic reliance on such partnerships amid public capacity constraints.

Ownership and Financial Performance

Ownership Timeline

The Priory Group was established in 1980 through the acquisition of by an independent healthcare company, marking the beginning of its expansion into private mental health and addiction treatment services. In 1999, Westminster Healthcare Group purchased the Priory Hospitals chain, then comprising 35 clinics, from Mercury for £100 million. This acquisition integrated Priory into a broader portfolio of healthcare assets under Westminster's ownership. In 2002, Priory underwent a valued at £288 million, separating it from Westminster Healthcare, which simultaneously divested its homes division. By 2005, Doughty Hanson, which had backed the 2002 , sold Priory to in a transaction valued at up to £875 million. Ownership transferred to the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in 2007 following RBS's acquisition of . RBS retained control until 2011, when U.S.-based Advent purchased Priory for £925 million amid RBS's asset disposals post-financial crisis. Advent owned Priory until January 2016, when it sold the group to U.S. healthcare operator for £1.28 billion, yielding Advent a profit exceeding £500 million. Under , Priory continued operations but faced scrutiny over , including recapitalizations. In December 2020, divested Priory to Dutch private equity firm for £1.08 billion, allowing to reduce debt while pursued further expansion. Waterland has maintained ownership as of 2025, supporting acquisitions such as Victoria House in October 2025 to bolster Priory's care portfolio.

Revenue, Profits, and Debt

In the ending in 2024, Priory Group achieved of £819 million, marking an increase from £767.6 million in the prior year, with the majority derived from contracts. Pre-tax profit for 2024 stood at £3.3 million, a recovery from the £72.4 million pre-tax loss recorded in 2023, amid reported growth in adjusted underlying earnings by 13% during the earlier period. These figures reflect filings with , though the group's private status limits full public disclosure of detailed breakdowns. The company's reveals substantial obligations, with liabilities totaling £877.9 million and additional of £340.6 million owed to its entity, RemedcoUK Ltd, contributing to combined and liabilities of approximately £1.2 billion as of 2024. Net specifically attributable to the stood at £320.6 million, alongside a decline in net from £461.1 million to £410.5 million over the same timeframe. These leverage levels underscore ongoing financial strain despite operational improvements, financed in part through company support rather than external borrowing.

Investment and Expansion Funding

In 2011, acquired the Priory Group in a transaction financed by £670 million in bonds and loans, providing capital that facilitated subsequent expansion through the acquisition of additional treatment facilities and services across the . The 2016 sale to for $1.887 billion, which included repayment of existing debt and the issuance of 5.363 million shares by , injected equity and liquidity to support network growth, adding over 300 facilities and approximately 7,200 beds to Acadia's portfolio while enabling Priory's operational scaling. By 2020–2021, Waterland Private Equity purchased Priory for £1.08 billion from , with simultaneously acquiring £800 million in behavioral health properties via a sale-leaseback that generated upfront cash for Priory, reducing asset ownership burdens and funding potential reinvestments in capacity and services. These private equity-led transactions, often leveraged with debt, have driven Priory's expansion but resulted in elevated leverage, as evidenced by substantial interest payments—totaling £171 million to over two years post-2016 acquisition—and ongoing debt levels reported in 2025 accounts despite revenue improvements.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspections

The (CQC) inspects individual Priory Group facilities and services under five key questions—safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led—assigning ratings of outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate. Priory Healthcare Limited, the registered provider for most Priory services, lacks an overall organizational rating, with assessments focused on specific locations. In December 2022, the CQC conducted a focused Well Led assessment of Priory Group's , , , and across its network. Inspectors identified strengths including a clear structure with defined , effective partnerships via 22 provider collaboratives, and staff surveys indicating 65% felt proud to work there. However, high staff turnover of 40% was flagged as undermining care continuity and safety, with inadequate strategies to analyze causes or implement systemic fixes. Weak co-production with service users, ineffective speak-up mechanisms for staff concerns, and inconsistent incident recording were also noted as risks to quality. The CQC recommended improvements under Regulations 9, 17, and 18, including better risk oversight and user involvement in recruitment and training. Ratings across Priory's care services at the assessment time showed variability: 7 outstanding (3%), 169 good (81%), 28 requires improvement (13%), and 1 inadequate (<1%), with 3 not rated. For hospitals, the breakdown was 4 outstanding (6%), 42 good (67%), 12 requires improvement (19%), and 4 inadequate (6%). Subsequent inspections highlighted ongoing challenges; for instance, Priory Hospital Arnold received an inadequate rating in June 2023 for standards deemed "totally unacceptable," prompting an improvement order or closure threat, though a July 2024 review noted progress. Priory Hospital was rated requires improvement overall in June 2023. Priory's 2023-2024 Quality Account reported two compliant CQC inspections at sites including Ty Cwm Rhonda and Priory , but self-reported data requires independent verification. CQC deputy chief inspector Chris Dzikiti stated that while leadership demonstrated awareness and progress, sustained action on turnover, staff engagement, and service user collaboration remains essential to prevent impacts on care quality. The regulator continues monitoring , with individual service ratings influencing commissioning decisions by bodies like the NHS.

Safety Protocols and Improvements

The Priory Group implements a comprehensive suite of safety policies designed to ensure consistent staff practices and across its facilities, including protocols for incident reporting, , and continuous improvement in internal controls. Central to these efforts is the adoption of the NHS England's Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), which guides the organization's processes, emphasizing learning from adverse events rather than solely blame. This framework, detailed in Priory's Patient Safety Incident Response Policy updated in October 2023, outlines aims for effective systems and processes to investigate incidents, support affected individuals, and drive systemic changes. Priory maintains site-specific patient safety leads and a rolling program of initiatives to prioritize , with standardized treatment pathways incorporating protocols to minimize adverse events. The organization's Health and Safety Policy, revised as of June 2025, promotes ongoing enhancements in through divisional strategies and discussions on internal controls. Additional measures include the policy, effective June 2025, which mandates transparent engagement with patients and families following incidents to improve understanding and outcomes. The Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) program, reported annually, enables staff to raise concerns about or wrongdoing, fostering a culture aimed at preventing harm. In response to regulatory scrutiny, Priory has undertaken targeted improvements, such as refining risk registers and outcome measures following (CQC) well-led assessments. For instance, after CQC inspections identified safety shortfalls, facilities like Priory Hospital achieved overall "Good" ratings by July 2021, though safety required further enhancement, prompting operational adjustments. Priory's 2023-2025 strategic plan commits to expanding these efforts, including investments in staff training on safety protocols and integration of electronic systems for medication management to reduce errors, as evidenced by implementations like the e-Works EPMA system in 2024. Annual quality accounts, such as the 2023-2024 report, highlight learning from incidents to inform divisional programs, with a focus on reducing recurrence through data-driven reviews.

Staff Training and Retention Initiatives

Priory Group supports staff development through nurse degree apprenticeships, enrolling over 200 nurses by May 2024, alongside for 175 nurse apprenticeships and 20 advanced nurse practitioner programs as of late 2022. Mandatory annual trainings include for all clinical and non-clinical staff, Positive Behaviour Support e-learning modules supplemented by face-to-face sessions, and role-specific programs. In 2024-2025, over 250 staff and 43 leaders completed Quality Improvement training, contributing to 21 active projects aimed at operational enhancements such as reducing patient absences. Retention efforts under the Priory Plan (2023-2025) emphasize leadership coaching, bespoke career pathways, and innovative nursing roles to attract and retain talent, addressing a reported staff turnover rate of around 40% in 2022 identified by the Care Quality Commission as a key risk. The group claims a more than 45% reduction in adult care turnover since 2022, alongside a 71.4% increase in employee engagement over four years ending in 2025, supported by initiatives like a career progression website, financial wellbeing partnerships via Wagestream, and fostering inclusive workplaces. Annual appraisals and personal development discussions occur across facilities, with accelerated international recruitment to mitigate shortages. These programs respond to broader sector challenges, including whistleblower concerns in 2023 about retention impacting due to understaffing, though Priory maintains that enhanced training and development opportunities balance on-the-job needs.

Controversies and Criticisms

Patient Deaths and Safety Failures

The Priory Group has faced multiple and regulatory penalties related to patient deaths, with at least 40 such incidents reported between 2014 and 2023, including suicides and absconding events often linked to inadequate , risk assessments, and security measures. In several cases, coroners and juries have concluded that contributed to fatalities, citing failures such as unsupervised leaves, insufficient staffing, and lapses in monitoring high-risk individuals. The company has been fined over £1 million in total across prosecutions by the (CQC) and (HSE) for breaches exposing patients to serious harm. A prominent case involved Matthew Caseby, a 23-year-old admitted to Priory Hospital Birmingham on 3 September 2020 for acute under the Mental Health Act. Four days later, he absconded unsupervised over a low fence and was fatally struck by a train; an ruled the death "contributed to by " due to lax security and failure to follow protocols for at-risk patients. In March 2024, Priory Healthcare Limited pleaded guilty to CQC charges of failing to provide safe care and treatment, resulting in a £650,000 fine, £43,672 in costs, and a £180 surcharge; the court highlighted systemic risks from inadequate absconding prevention. Caseby's father subsequently called for investigations into other Priory sites, noting patterns of similar failures. Earlier incidents include the 2012 suicide of 14-year-old Amy El-Keria at a , where the company was fined £300,000 for health and safety violations after an criticized inadequate and shortages; her mother described the firm as prioritizing profits over safety. In 2013, 21-year-old Francesca Whyatt died by at Woodbourne Priory Hospital, leading to a £140,000 HSE fine in 2023 for failures in safe care systems. At Cheadle Royal Hospital, a Priory facility, three women died within two months in late 2021, including Beth Matthews, whose found "contributed to by " from missed observations and unaddressed risks; a 2024 into another patient, 30-year-old Ms. Fitzpatrick, deemed staff observations "grossly inadequate" amid multiple failings. Coroners have issued Prevention of Future Deaths reports in cases like Amy Henderson's 2021 ligature , noting staff unawareness of her detailed suicidal plans despite known ideation, and Matthew Caseby's, urging better absconding safeguards. Additional deaths, such as 20-year-old Amina Ismail's in September 2023, underscore ongoing concerns, with advocacy groups documenting over 44 fatalities in 15 years and criticizing recurrent lapses in high-acuity environments. Priory has contested some findings, attributing issues to complex patient needs rather than systemic flaws, while implementing measures like enhanced training post-fines.

Allegations of Profit-Driven Practices

Former managers at Priory Group facilities alleged in 2023 that they faced pressure from senior leadership to reduce staffing levels and boost bed occupancy rates, practices they linked to financial incentives tied to NHS contracts. One whistleblower stated that directives emphasized "shaving head count and increasing productivity," contributing to understaffing and heightened risks to patient safety. These claims highlighted a reliance on agency staff and high turnover rates, reported at 40% by the Care Quality Commission in December 2022, as mechanisms to control costs amid operational demands. Critics have pointed to Priory's financial performance as evidence of profit prioritization, particularly following the 2019 £300,000 fine for breaching health and safety regulations in the 2012 death of 14-year-old Amy El-Keria at Ticehurst House Hospital. The company recorded an operating profit of £62 million for the year ending on revenue of £797 million, predominantly from public funds, with the fine representing less than two days of profit according to company accounts analyzed by investigators. El-Keria's mother described as "morally bankrupt" for placing profit above safety, a sentiment echoed in calls for scrutiny of how enables such outcomes. Additionally, paid £171 million in interest to its owner, , over the two years following its 2016 acquisition, funds derived in part from taxpayer-supported services. Priory Group has denied these allegations, asserting that admissions adhere to "rigorous clinical criteria" set by medical teams and that no undue pressure is exerted on staff to compromise care for financial gain. The company maintains that its services rank among the safest in the UK and has implemented measures such as pay increases and hiring over 350 additional healthcare assistants and nurses to address staffing concerns raised in whistleblower accounts. Investigations into deaths, including those compiled by media outlets in 2022, have fueled broader scrutiny of whether cost-control strategies at for-profit providers like Priory undermine therapeutic efficacy.

Whistleblower Accounts and Media Scrutiny

In April 2023, two former senior managers at Priory Group provided accounts to the alleging systemic s that compromised patient and staff safety across multiple facilities. They claimed executives emphasized cost-cutting and bed occupancy targets following the group's 2021 acquisition by private equity firm , resulting in reduced headcount and heightened demands on remaining staff, with one stating, "I was under so much ... everybody was running on empty." Specific concerns included high staff turnover rates of around 40%, reliance on unqualified or agency workers—some reportedly sleeping on duty—and the placement of patients requiring specialized psychiatric care into general wards due to shortages, which whistleblowers linked to inadequate risk assessments and continuity of care. These accounts highlighted incidents at Priory's Cheadle Royal Hospital, where three patient deaths occurred between January and March 2022: neglect contributed to Beth Matthews' death, Deseree Fitzpatrick choked after receiving inappropriate medication, and an inquest into Lauren Bridges' case remained pending at the time of reporting. The whistleblowers described a "toxic" environment discouraging incident reporting and prioritizing admissions over clinical suitability, attributing morale declines to post-acquisition profit focuses. Priory Group rejected the claims, asserting that admissions adhere to "rigorous clinical criteria" and that services rank "amongst the safest in the UK," while noting reductions in turnover through pay increases and over 350 new hires since 2022. The (CQC), in a December 2022 report, acknowledged high turnover's negative impact on care quality but rated Cheadle Royal overall as "good" in an April 2022 inspection, with some areas needing improvement. In February 2024, additional whistleblowers from Priory Hospital Arnold, rated "inadequate" for safety by the CQC in August 2022 and January 2023 inspections, alleged ongoing malpractice driven by chronic understaffing. Staff reported forgoing breaks, conducting back-to-back observations without relief, and unsafe practices such as granting patient leave without risk assessments or nearly sectioning informal patients improperly amid management "panic." They described a culture of suppressed concerns, with employees urged to "shut up and get on with it," leading to personal guilt and distress from compromised care, including reliance on untrained agency personnel in intensive units. Priory responded by denying most allegations, committing to investigate under its policy, and citing £2.9 million in investments by 2024 alongside increases in permanent staff to address CQC-identified deficiencies like insufficient skilled oversight. Media scrutiny intensified through these revelations, with outlets like the and local press amplifying calls for greater oversight of 's £600 million-plus annual NHS contracts, amid broader critiques of profit motives in privatized provision. Advocacy groups such as Mind urged a statutory inquiry into service failings, while the CQC's repeated findings of agency staff overuse and slow improvements fueled debates on regulatory enforcement. maintains its helpline and policies comply with legal standards, though critics, including the whistleblowers, contend internal mechanisms fail to prevent reprisals or drive substantive change.

Achievements and Impact

Contributions to Mental Health Care

The Priory Group operates as the leading independent provider of services in the UK, delivering specialist inpatient, outpatient, and online treatments for over 70 conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions. It supports approximately 26,000 individuals annually through a network of 280 facilities staffed by more than 13,000 professionals, emphasizing evidence-based interventions aligned with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. These services include 24/7 residential care with multidisciplinary teams offering cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), medication management, and holistic activities such as and exercise programs tailored to individual needs. Priory has contributed to improved access by integrating digital solutions, such as secure online platforms enabling remote consultations with psychologists and psychiatrists starting from £75 per assessment, which facilitates faster intervention compared to traditional NHS pathways. In 2021, it partnered with ADDvantage Technologies to provide mobile-accessible therapies focused on CBT for conditions like depression and anxiety, targeting adults over 18. More recently, in May 2025, collaborated with Psyomics to launch a biomarker-guided digital pathway for adults aged 18-65, using to personalize treatment recommendations and accelerate matching to appropriate care, thereby addressing diagnostic delays in personalized management. The group has also advanced operational efficiencies in delivery through innovations like electronic medication management systems implemented with Ashtons Pharmacy, enhancing safety and compliance in specialist treatments for complex conditions. In October 2025, adopted an AI-powered tool in partnership with the NHS to reduce waiting times for assessments, integrating data-driven to prioritize urgent cases across its facilities. These efforts complement its role in providing emergency placements for NHS patients, filling gaps in acute and secure care capacities with 1,890 specialized beds acquired through prior mergers.

Successful Outcomes and Recognitions

The Priory Group reports high rates of improved mental wellbeing among patients across specialized services, based on routine outcome monitoring tools such as PROMs and CROMs. In 2022–2023, 88% of acute mental health patients, 81% of those in eating disorder programs, 91% in child and adolescent mental health services, and 91% in addiction treatment showed such improvements. For 2024–2025, over 50% of acute and specialist mental health patients demonstrated measurable progress in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychosis, per paired outcome measures. Several Priory facilities have received positive ratings from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). As of March 2023, 76.6% of its 64 CQC-registered sites in England were rated 'good' or compliant, aligning closely with NHS and independent sector benchmarks. Specific examples include Hazelwood House in Chesterfield, rated 'outstanding' overall and placing it in the top 6% of similar services in England for mental health care. Priory Hospital Suttons Manor achieved 'good' ratings across all five key areas—safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led—following a September 2025 inspection. Earlier, in 2019, Priory Hospital Roehampton was rated 'good' for its mental health and addictions services. Priory services hold accreditations through participation in Quality Networks, involving peer reviews for specialized pathways. External recognitions include a win at the RLDatix Awards Europe 2025 by for patient safety and workforce optimization initiatives. The group was shortlisted for the 2023–2024 Health Tech Awards for its implementation of the Nourish digital records system, which saved over 10,000 staff hours in 18 months. In January 2025, Priory was nominated for a national award recognizing transformational care for individuals with autism and learning disabilities.

Role in Addressing NHS Shortfalls

The Priory Group addresses NHS shortfalls in care by serving as a major commissioned provider, accepting referrals for patients facing extended waiting times, particularly in acute and specialist services. With a network exceeding 500 sites across the , Priory aligns its treatment protocols with NHS standards to handle complex cases, including those involving disorders, autism, learning disabilities, and crisis interventions that the NHS cannot accommodate promptly due to capacity constraints. This role has grown amid NHS waiting lists that reached record levels, prompting increased to private operators like Priory, which now derive approximately 91% of their revenue from NHS contracts as part of the £2 billion annual spend on independent sector services. Priory secures numerous NHS tenders for inpatient beds and community-based care, enabling faster access for referred patients. Examples include a £15.7 million award from NHS Trust in November 2024 for northwest mental health inpatient services, and multimillion-pound contracts for and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) Tier 4 care, where NHS bed shortages have historically led to 47% of such patients being placed in private facilities. As the UK's largest private mental health provider, Priory's capacity supports NHS trusts in managing spiralling referrals at crisis points, thereby mitigating risks of prolonged untreated conditions. Recent collaborations further enhance efficiency, such as the October 2025 implementation of an AI-powered and medicines administration system with NHS partners, designed to accelerate clinical decisions and reduce treatment delays through data analytics and patient input integration. Priory's strategic focus on underserved areas, outlined in its 2023-2025 plan, emphasizes support for NHS-commissioned rehabilitation for high-needs patients, contributing to broader efforts to alleviate systemic backlogs without supplanting public infrastructure.

Notable Patients and Cases

Celebrity and Public Figure Admissions

The Priory Group's facilities, notably the Priory Hospital Roehampton, have treated several high-profile celebrities for , , and related issues, often publicized through media reports or statements from representatives. These admissions highlight the provider's role in private rehabilitation for individuals facing intense public scrutiny, though details are typically limited to confirmed public disclosures. Footballer was admitted to the Priory in October 1998 for alcohol dependency treatment amid ongoing struggles with . Model checked into the facility in November 1998, following her acknowledgment of never having walked a catwalk sober, with the stay initially described as for exhaustion but linked to substance issues. Singer entered a treatment program at the Priory Clinic in May 2011 to prepare for European tour dates, focusing on recovery, and checked out in June 2011 to continue as an outpatient. Other notable figures reported to have received care include musicians and at , as well as , , and at Priory sites handling high-risk patients. Such cases underscore the Priory's appeal to celebrities seeking discreet, specialized intervention, though regulatory inspections have flagged safety concerns at facilities treating these patients. In 2016, an inquest jury at Coroner's Court determined that the death of 14-year-old Amy El-Keria, who hanged herself using a ligature made from a missing shoelace at Priory Group's Ticehurst House Hospital in on March 12, 2012, was accidental and contributed to by , citing "gross failings" including inadequate risk assessments and failure to search for the ligature despite known risks. In January 2019, Priory Group pleaded guilty to three breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 related to the incident, resulting in a £300,000 fine and £100,000 in costs imposed by Magistrates' Court. The death of Matthew Caseby, a 23-year-old at Priory Hospital Birmingham, prompted an jury in April 2022 to conclude that contributed to his misadventure death on September 3, 2020, after he absconded from an unsecured courtyard, climbed over a fence, and was fatally struck by a train; failures included leaving him unattended despite high absconding risks and inadequate perimeter security. In March 2024, Priory Healthcare was fined £650,000 at Birmingham for related health and safety violations under sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, following guilty pleas, with the judge noting systemic safety lapses. The charged Priory with two criminal offenses in November 2023 over the case, alleging failures in safe care and treatment. An into Gary Mavin's death at Arnold in on September 25, 2020, concluded in November 2021 that "serious and inexplicable omissions in care" by staff contributed to his by ligature, including delays in responding to his calls for help, failure to conduct required observations, and inadequate despite his expressed and history. The coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report highlighting staffing shortages and training gaps. In January 2023, an found that contributed to of blogger Beth Matthews at Cheadle Royal in on October 14, 2021, after she ingested a poisonous substance smuggled into the ward, with jurors identifying "serious inconsistencies" in risk assessments, searches, and staff communication. Similarly, the November 2023 inquest into 21-year-old Francesca Whyatt's suicide at ruled a factor, leading to a £140,000 fine for and failures. These outcomes reflect recurring findings of in at least 23 deaths across Priory facilities since 2012, often involving observation lapses and security breaches, though Priory has contested some characterizations and implemented review processes.

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  121. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/02/inquest-amy-el-keria-accidental-death-priory-ticehurst-house-east-sussex
  122. https://chambers.com/articles/inquests-shine-light-on-failings-in-mental-healthcare
  123. https://www.inquest.org.uk/matthew-caseby-inquest-concludes
  124. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnl71kl4ye7o
  125. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/06/priory-group-charged-with-criminal-offences-over-death-of-patient
  126. https://www.inquest.org.uk/gary-mavin-concludes
  127. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-59248146
  128. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/25/private-mental-health-hospitals-repeatedly-criticised-for-unsafe-care
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