Bourn Hall’s plans include acquisition and partnership with existing IVF providers and the development of several new, full service fertility centres and satellite clinics.
The original Bourn Hall Clinic was founded by IVF pioneers Steptoe and Edwards in Bourn, Cambridge, after the birth of ‘test-tube’ baby Louise Brown in 1978. Expansion in recent years has seen the opening of new, full service clinics in Colchester and Norwich and satellite centres in Wickford and Luton. Bourn Hall is the largest provider of NHS funded IVF treatment in the East of England.
Dr Mike Macnamee, Chief Executive of Bourn Hall, says, “Over the last four years we have established a network of new clinics and satellites that provide patients with personalised treatment programmes and excellent success rates, close to where they live.
“Smaller centres of excellence work well in fertility care, where a good relationship between the patient and medical staff is an important element of success. Bourn Hall has developed a sound model that provides a consistent treatment experience and a high quality of patient care.
“The funding will support the opening of further clinics by 2015 and will generate new jobs in these areas.”
Greg Blin from Mobeus Equity Partners says, “Bourn Hall has more than 30 years of experience in delivering fertility treatments. It’s past performance and success in securing NHS contracts demonstrates that it has a winning formula that provides patient satisfaction. We are delighted to help make its services more widely accessible.”
The Bourn Hall organisation has expanded rapidly over the last four years. It acquired a clinic in Colchester in 2009, and this has gone from strength to strength. A new satellite clinic was established in Wickford in 2012 to meet demand from patients in East Hertfordshire and South West Essex. In 2013 Bourn Hall opened its Norfolk centre – the first IVF clinic to be based in the county – and a satellite clinic in Luton, in partnership with the Luton & Dunstable University Hospital.
Mike Macnamee explains, “We are now helping three times as many people to become parents than in 2005 and a Bourn Hall baby is now born every 10 hours.”
The Management Team at Bourn Hall will be further strengthened by the return of Alan Dexter as Chairman, (who played a pivotal role in establishing Bourn Hall in the early eighties and has held significant posts in the independent healthcare sector in the interim), and Clive Austin as a new Board member, bringing a wealth of commercial expertise. Alan says, “It’s wonderful to be back. I have followed Bourn Hall’s progress since the 1980s and I am astonished at the improvements in treatments and outcomes. I am particularly pleased that the founding ethos of Bourn Hall has been maintained and strengthened over the years.”
Bourn Hall continues to pioneer the latest technologies and treatments and it was one of the first clinics to introduce: video monitoring embryo assessment (Eeva), new techniques to overcome male factor infertility (IMSI and Micro TESE) and intralipid infusion to help promote implantation.
Mobeus Equity Partners was advised by Baker Tilly, Mansfield Advisors. Bourn Hall Clinic was advised by Tom Pickthorn of Mills & Reeve and Lake Falconer of Peters Elworthy & Moore.
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