Capita plc announces today that it is to acquire the occupational health business of Aviva UK Health for an undisclosed sum.  The business provides a complete range of occupational health services to more than 500 business and other organisations.

The acquisition adds further expertise and capacity to Capita’s wellbeing and health business and provides entry into a number of key client sectors including transport and logistics.  It will be integrated into Capita’s wider range of outsourced health and wellbeing services, which include health risk management, health screening and surveillance, absence management, employee assistance (EAP), ill health retirement and international assistance & repatriation.

Commenting on the deal, Jason Powell, managing director of Capita’s health and wellbeing business, said: “Capita is committed to the long term investment in the health and wellbeing market as we believe that organisational wellbeing helps to power business performance, especially in these challenging economic times. This acquisition will add new capabilities and expertise to Capita’s existing occupational health business. In turn we believe that the backing of Capita will provide the scale and focus to enable the business to maximise its market share and the range of services it offers to existing and new clients. As part of the acquisition, we are delighted to become a long term strategic provider of Aviva UK Health.”

Mark Noble, health and group risk director, Aviva, said: “We are delighted with Capita’s plans to invest in the occupational health business and to develop a scale operation. The business is in good shape, with a specialist and highly skilled workforce, to help them realise this in the future. Occupational health services play a vital role in supporting our overall strategy and our corporate customers will continue to receive occupational health support through a strong partnership arrangement with Capita. This will allow Aviva to concentrate on further developing its core health insurance services.”

Aviva’s occupational health business has around 120 employees, with operations based in Sheffield, Birmingham and London.   The acquisition will be subject to a Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment (TUPE) consultation with impacted employees. 

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Notes to editors

Capita plc is the UK’s leading provider of BPO and integrated professional support service solutions.  With 45,000 people at more than 350 sites, including 64 business centres across the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and India, the Group uses its expertise, infrastructure and scale benefits to transform its clients’ services, driving down costs and adding value. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE100 with revenues for 2010 of £2,744 million.  Further information on Capita plc can be found at: http://www.capita.co.uk