Q1 2026 Healthcare M&A Review

We are pleased to release our review of M&A, private equity and venture capital activity across the UK healthcare sector in Q1 of 2026.

Our report, which can be downloaded below, highlights the most active sub-sectors, along with a month-by-month summary of the key deals across the market.

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Q1 2026 Healthcare M&A Review Summary

Deal Volumes

• Q1 played out largely as expected, with deal volumes consistent with Q4 levels, albeit materially higher than Q1 of the prior year

• There was growing optimism in the sector that volumes would increase in H2, however the knock-on impact of the current geopolitical situation is likely to soften this

Sub-Sector Activity

• Medical equipment continued to show strong activity, with deals centred around mobility and surgical devices

• Digital health activity spiked in Q1, with deals spanning digital mental health, ambient voice technology, e-pharmacy and prehabilitation

• Clinical services was the third most active area, with transactions across physio, audiology, ophthalmology and fertility

Private Equity Involvement

• Private equity activity was particularly strong this quarter, with involvement in over 60% of transactions

• Sub-sectors largely mirrored those mentioned above, in addition to an interesting uptick in vet acquisitions bolstered by Kin Vet and VetThing

• The period saw new platforms for Sovereign (Apollo Home Healthcare), Rockpool (CareScribe), GBL (Rayner), Imbiba (Pindrop Hearing), LDC (myHappymind) and Zugzwang (Talea Care Homes)

• There was also a significant exit for LDC, with the successful sale of PAM Group to Optima Health