Quality, Affordable and Accessible

Prime Minister Cameron and Secretary of State for Health Hunt support Sinophi in China

December 3rd, 2013

In Shanghai today, UK Prime Minister David Cameron MP met with Sinophi Healthcare Chairman Simon MacKinnon and senior government officials from Huai’an City in Jiangsu Province in East China in support of deals worth UK£120 million between Sinophi and Huai’an City, Jiangsu Province signed in Beijing.

The signing ceremony took place in Beijing on December 2nd, with UK Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lord Livingston, Mr Tang Daolun, Vice Mayor of Huai’an Municipal People’s Government and Dr Catherine Raines, Minister and Director-General of UKTI China witnessing the signings.  These were for a joint venture to do hospital management with Huai’an First People’s Hospital (HAFPH), and two LOIs for a hospital acquisition and to build a 1,000 bed regional oncology centre in Huai’an City.

Speaking about Sinophi’s work in Huai’an, Prime Minister Cameron said “This deal highlights the enormous opportunity that the Chinese healthcare market presents for British healthcare firms – set to grow by $400 billion by 2017. I hope we will see many more partnerships and deals like this for British businesses in this market.”

UK Prime Minister David Cameron with Huai’an Party Secretary Yao Xiao Dong and Sinophi Healthcare Chairman Simon MacKinnon

On December 3rd in Shanghai, UK Secretary of State for Health Mr Jeremy Hunt MP met with Sinophi Healthcare Chairman Simon MacKinnon, Huai’an City Party Secretary Mr Yao Xiao Dong and Huai’an City Mayor Mr Qu Fu Tian.

 Huai’an Party Secretary Mr Yao Xiao Dong with UK Secretary of State for Health Mr Jeremy Hunt MP

Sinophi’s signings were reported by several Chinese domestic and international news services including:

The Financial Times:             “Cameron trumpets healthcare deals with China”

China.org:                                  “UK, China sign multimillion healthcare deals”

Intl. Business Times:             “UK and China agree £120 million Healthcare Deals in Cameron Trade Visit”

The full text of the Prime Minister’s press release from No 10 Downing Street is shown below:

Multimillion boost to UK economy as healthcare trade deals with China sealed

10 Downing Street, 2nd December 2013

The British economy is set to be boosted by more than £120 million thanks to a package of UK/Chinese healthcare deals, Prime Minister David Cameron announced today. The Prime Minister and Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt witnessed the final agreements being sealed in China, during the Prime Minister’s three day visit to the country.

The deals include:

• Sinophi Healthcare signed contracts for hospital management and hospital investment worth £120 million. These include a joint venture with Huai’an First People’s Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Jiangsu Province (population 80 million people) in East China, and an agreement to build a 1,000 bed oncology hospital;
• Heythorp Healthcare signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jiangsu Far East (Yadong). This is for a joint venture to develop a flagship, mixed use healthcare facility which will include elderly nursing, specialist dementia services and care training outside Jiangsu;
• Healthcare UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CITIC Trust and Circle Partnership to unlock commercial deals for UK companies in areas such as primary care services, integrated care and education and training.
• IXICO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Beijing Union Medical and Pharmaceutical General Corporation. They will work together to support dementia diagnosis, advance public understanding of dementia and evaluate new treatments.

On the Sinophi deal, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This deal highlights the enormous opportunity that the Chinese healthcare market presents for British healthcare firms – set to grow by $400 billion by 2017. I hope we will see many more partnerships and deals like this for British businesses in this market.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “These agreements will see UK firms exporting their expertise to China – building their businesses and investing in Chinese healthcare. Both countries will benefit from these new relationships and better trade links.”

Estimates are that the OECD and BRIC nations will increase spending on healthcare by 50% between 2010 and 2020 to $7.5 trillion. This demonstrates the size of the opportunity for UK firms.

Alongside this effort to improve trade with China, Jeremy Hunt also announced that the UK will embark on a new stream of work with China on Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR).

Jeremy Hunt said: “Drug resistant infections are a huge threat to global health and an only be dealt with by collaboration across all borders. Working with China and other countries is crucial in fighting AMR, and I am pleased that the UK will be exchanging expertise and developing new areas for action as part of a global partnership.”

Furthermore, Jeremy Hunt also outlined a new partnership with China on care of older people, with a focus on dementia. This is due to be finalised tomorrow.

He said: “Both the UK and China face similar challenges in caring for ageing populations. There is a great deal that we can learn from each other in this field, and we believe UK companies have much to offer in the Chinese elderly care market.”

Source:     https://www.gov.uk/government/news/multimillion-boost-to-uk-economy-as-healthcare-trade-deals-with-china-sealed

Huai’an City

Located in Jiangsu Province in East China, Huai’an City is a fast growing city with an urban population of over 2.5 million and an additional 3 million population in its rural areas.  Sited on the Grand Canal connecting Beijing with Hangzhou (close to Shanghai), it has a long history as a trading and cultural center.

Huai’an First People’s Hospital

HAFPH is one of north Jiangsu’s leading general hospitals.  Located in the city of Huai’an (urban population 2.5m, total population over 5.5m) in the province of Jiangsu (population of over 80 million) next to Shanghai in East China, HAFPH was founded in 1950.  On completion of current expansion, HAFPH will have over 3,000 beds, with well known specialty departments including oncology, cardiovascular, neurology and gastroenterology.