Celebrity-Success Rehab Joins The UKAT Group

The UKAT Group, the UK’s leading provider of private residential addiction treatment services, is proud to announce the acquisition of The Providence Projects, one of the country’s oldest and most respected rehabilitation centres, based in Bournemouth.

This marks UKAT’s first acquisition since 2020 under the current stewardship of its Board of Directors and underscores the pivotal role of Sullivan Street Partners- who acquired UKAT last year and is driving its growth through strategic investment and expansion. It also represents a significant step forward in expanding UKAT’s commitment to delivering accessible, high‑quality, affordable addiction treatment in a new area of the UK.

Founded in 1996, The Providence Projects has long been recognised for its reputable, compassionate, and results-driven care- supporting thousands of individuals through addiction treatment, including well-known names such as Norman Cook and Matt Willis from Busted. 

The decision to join the UKAT Group was made by Providence’s leadership team to ensure the centre’s future was aligned with a trusted, experienced provider with a long-standing track record of success in treatment and rehabilitation.

The 44-bed Providence Projects facility in Bournemouth follows a Floridian-inspired daily housing and therapy model and is one of the few private facilities in the UK offering affordable, community-based secondary long-term care and supported reintegration into daily life. The acquisition enables UKAT to offer and expand these services – improving outcomes and driving sustainable, life-changing recovery for the patients it treats. It increases the number of UKAT’s treatment beds to 244, solidifying its position as the largest private addiction treatment provider in the UK.

UKAT has welcomed the full expert team from The Providence Projects into the group, ensuring the continuity of care, expertise, and the strong therapeutic community that has defined Providence for nearly three decades. Plans are already underway for significant investment into the centre’s treatment programme and infrastructure to enhance the services provided and to ultimately improve the outcomes of its clients.

“We’re honoured to welcome The Providence Projects into the UKAT family,” says Daniel Gerrard, CEO of The UKAT Group. “This is more than a strategic acquisition- it’s a meeting of minds and missions. We have known the team at Providence for a long time now, and are well aware of its proud legacy of life-changing work, and we are committed to building on that foundation with UKAT’s compassion, innovation, and excellence. UKAT can now offer affordable long-term care to those who really need it and this is something we’re incredibly proud of.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Paul Spanjar, CEO of The Providence Projects, said: "Choosing to join the UKAT Group was about ensuring the long-term future of Providence. We’ve always prioritised client care and clinical integrity, and in UKAT, we saw an organisation that shares those values. This move allows us to grow, invest and continue changing lives- together."

Oliver Marshall, Partner, Sullivan Street Partners comments;

“We’re delighted to have completed the acquisition of Providence – from the outset, our plan has been to grow UKAT through both new site development and high-quality acquisitions, and so we are excited to bring a business of this scale and reputation into the group. Providence not only cements UKAT’s leadership in residential rehabilitation but also establishes a valuable platform for delivering care in the community and expanding the group’s behavioural and mental health service offering.”

The integration process is actively progressing, with both teams working closely to ensure a seamless transition and uninterrupted care for all current and future clients.

ENDS

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