London-based buyout firm Sullivan Street new owners of Sussex private rehab

The UKAT Group - which runs the local rehab Recovery Lighthouse- has successfully acquired new ownership from major private equity firm Sullivan Street Partners whilst at the same time the Government has finally inflated drug and alcohol treatment budgets across both East and West Sussex by 16% and 92% respectively.

The injection of long-awaited investment into tackling the drug and alcohol crisis across Sussex should flatten the curve of drug and alcohol deaths in the area.

In 2022, 50 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in East Sussex- up 14% from just 44 two years previous. In West Sussex, in 2022, 55 drug poisoning deaths were registered, up 48% from just 37 drug deaths in 2020.

In East Sussex, 55 people died from alcohol-specific causes, an 8% increase since the year before the pandemic (2019) when 51 people lost their lives to alcohol in the area.

In West Sussex, alcohol deaths reached a record breaking high in 2022, at 120 deaths in the area. This rose by a staggering 41% from 85 alcohol deaths in 2019, with the Covid crisis being cited as the driving factor behind these stark rises in alcohol specific deaths.

The UKAT Group, which runs eight residential treatment facilities including Recovery Lighthouse, welcomes the new ownership from Sullivan Street. They will provide the support needed to expand the UKAT Group’s treatment footprint, reaching more addicts in areas where drug and alcohol deaths are rising. The operation of Recovery Lighthouse remains unaffected by the UKAT Group’s new ownership.

Last year, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) granted East Sussex Council with a budget of £1,741,085 towards their 2023/24 drug strategy spend.

According to analysis by the UKAT Group, East Sussex Council now has 16% more money to spend on drug and alcohol treatment services in their area, as their 2024/25 budget now stands at £2,028,218.

West Sussex Council was granted just £678,817 to spend on drug and alcohol treatment services in 2023/24, a figure that according to the UKAT Group has risen by 92% to a budget of £1,306,719 for 2024/25.

For the first time since 2012, councils like East Sussex and West Sussex Council have a protected budget allocated for inpatient detoxification only- a service that the UKAT Group provides as standard.

In East Sussex, this amounts to an inpatient detoxification budget of £72,422 and £96,214 for West Sussex.

Clients typically admit into Recovery Lighthouse rehab for a period of 28 days, inclusive of a 7 day detox, followed by an intense and effective residential therapy programme. The UKAT Group’s sobriety rate stands at 95% one year after leaving treatment.

Daniel Gerrard, Managing Director at the UKAT Group which operates Recovery Lighthouse comments; “We’re thrilled to welcome new ownership under Sullivan Street Partners. We have a positive history with the team and they know the industry, our business and most importantly, our desire and drive to help as many people suffering with addiction as possible, and they’ll undoubtedly be able to help us achieve our mission.”

Layton Tamberlin, Managing Partner, Sullivan Street Partners comments; "The addiction treatment market is chronically unserved, and we are delighted to have acquired a leading pioneer. We look forward to supporting Daniel and the team at Recovery Lighthouse as they grow the business and expand its facility footprint and service offering."

“The UKAT Group’s ethos and standard of care towards their clients is second to none, and we are proud to be able to help them to continue freeing people from the grips of addiction.”