Home Business Services Primary Care Recruitment aims for growth with six-figure funding round

Primary Care Recruitment aims for growth with six-figure funding round

left to right Primary Care Recruitment Assistant Director Vicki Keepin (right) and Founder and Director Joanne Wood (left)

Primary Care Recruitment, one of the North East and Cumbria’s largest nursing and care staffing companies, has secured a six-figure funding package to further scale its operations.

The Gosforth-based business will utilise the funding as working capital and to expand its operations, both in terms of its own workforce, but also the number of permanent and temporary health and social care professionals it places within the clients it works with, which includes the NHS.

The funding will be deployed immediately to support the UK’s battle against the COVID-19 outbreak as the company works closely with clients to provide key personnel.

Currently employing a specialist team 18 of care industry specialists, Primary Care Recruitment works with clients, in addition to the NHS, such as Mental Health Hospitals, as well as providing mental health staff to general hospitals.


Primary Care Recruitment is also highly active in the private healthcare sector with the supply of staff to GP surgeries and learning disability charities. It also works with clients involved in care of the elderly in nursing homes, dementia care and social care.

The business also delivers a range of specialist training services delivered by two experienced, qualified trainers who have extensive experience in nursing, health and social care. They are both trained in Prevention Management of Violence and Aggression (PMVA) to General Services Association (GSA) standards.

Alongside its Mandatory Care Skills training for those entering the sector, the company offers specialist learning disability and dementia care training as well as update programmes for healthcare professionals needing to refresh and renew knowledge and skills. It also provides highly specialist training, which allows individuals to learn how to work in care, enabling the business to grow its own staff, many of which go on to work full-time in the NHS.

Founded 28 years ago by Registered General Nurse Joanne Wood, who specialises in paediatrics and Accident & Emergency care, and her husband Brad, Primary Care Recruitment has a turnover of around £6.7million with an EBITDA of £1.3 million.
Support in securing the funding was provided by RG Corporate Finance (RGCF), led by Partner and Head of Corporate Finance Carl Swansbury, alongside James Clingham from business finance brokers TBP.

Joanne Wood said: “We have built a robust and dynamic business, which can quickly respond to the complex, ever-changing needs of the healthcare industry. This funding package will be integral to help us further scale the business, but also rapidly increase our operations to support the current Coronavirus situation.

“The support we have received from RGCF and TBP has been invaluable in helping us secure this funding, which will enable us to increase our workforce, but also the support we are able to give to our clients.”

Carl Swansbury, Partner and Head of Corporate Finance at RGCF, said: “Primary Care Recruitment has a proven track record and an excellent reputation, playing a crucial role in supporting the vital health and social care sectors. We are proud to have worked with Joanne and her team to secure this funding to enable the further growth of Primary Care Recruitment and the services it provides to its clients.”

James Clinghan, Director of TBP – Trusted Business Partner, said: “It’s always a pleasure working with Carl and the team at RGCF; Primary Care Recruitment had a large, slightly complex funding requirement and a tight timeframe for completion. We pulled together a very flexible, structured product that gave the business the funding required to achieve their short-term funding requirement and we are working closely with the shareholders to support their longer terms ambitions and goals.”