Hundreds of ambulance jobs saved as firms sold in pre-pack deal

A pre-pack sale completed on February 6 rescued Spark Medical and Medi 4 Ambulance Services, preserving more than 375 jobs and ongoing NHS patient transport services.

Two UK ambulance companies were sold through a pre-pack administration process that will preserve jobs and services for the NHS. RSM advised on the transaction after the combined business faced higher costs, ongoing capital spending and falling revenue that strained cash flow. Proposed administrators from RSM were appointed following a creditors' administration application on January 19, and the sale completed on February 6. The buyer has not been publicly named and Companies House records had not yet been updated. Key facts: - The pre-pack sale of Spark Medical and Medi 4 Ambulance Services completed on February 6. - The deal is reported to preserve more than 375 jobs across the two businesses. - Spark Medical is based in Bromborough, Wirral, employs 97 directly and operates up to 50 medical vehicles a day. - Spark acquired West Sussex-based Medi 4 Ambulance Services in August; Medi 4 provides patient transport across southern England. - RSM partners Lee Lockwood and James Miller served as proposed administrators and advised on the sale. - Recent abridged accounts to March 2024 show Spark Medical had fixed assets of £2.2m and shareholders' funds of £911k; Companies House control information had not been updated to reflect the sale. Summary: The sale secures the short-term continuity of services supplied to the NHS and preserves a substantial number of jobs and subcontractor roles. Undetermined at this time.