Preliminary Results for the year ended 30 September 2005

Company news

Nov 21, 2005

Highlights for the year

¹ Including joint venture

² Before goodwill amortisation of £1,279,000 (2004: £985,000)

• Another year of excellent progress for Care UK, with new contract awards valued at £23m pa and bolt-on acquisitions
• Successful implementation of a number of new projects, including the first two new build hospitals in the Independent Sector Treatment Centre (�ISTC�) programme
• Strong growth and margin improvement in our core Residential, Community and Specialist Care Services divisions

Residential:

• Turnover growth of 10%, improved operating margin
• New preferred bidder appointments awarded by London Borough of Islington and Poole Borough Council
• Two new homes commissioned successfully, two more in build phase, two home extensions

Community:

• Strong turnover growth at 14%, including 11% organic growth
• Continued success with many new contract awards
• Acquisition of new branches in Bolton and Bradford

Specialist:

• Turnover growth at 22%, including 11% organic growth
• Learning Disabilities contract wins in Lancashire, Staffordshire and Scotland
• Entry into specialist foster care through acquisition of FSG

Clinical:

• Trent/South Yorkshire and Plymouth ISTCs successfully commissioned
• North East London and Maidstone ISTC contracts signed
• Selected on short-lists for three new diagnostic projects

Total forward contracted turnover at £799m, up 12%

• Residential Care Services £556m
• Community Care Services £60m
• Specialist Care Services £39m
• Clinical Care Services £144m

John Nash, Chairman of Care UK, commented: "Care UK has continued to strengthen its reputation as an innovative and reliable partner working across a range of health and social care services. Relationships with customers, on both local and national levels, have been further enhanced by our excellent service implementation and development.

"The breadth of solutions that we are able to deliver is becoming increasingly important as the public sector adopts a more integrated approach across health and social care.

"Our strong base of contracted income, together with an encouraging pipeline of new projects, underpins group prospects for the medium term. Beyond this, the Board is highly encouraged by the strong commitment of Government and the Department of Health to substantially extend the market for independent sector provision of NHS services."