Merger to create mega aged care provider
Two firms have advised on the proposed merger of two of Australia’s largest independent, not-for-profit aged care providers.
![Brendan Earle, Herbert Smith Freehills](/images/Brendan-Earle.jpg)
Firms: Herbert Smith Freehills (Royal District Nursing Service); Ashurst (RSL Care)
Deal: Proposed merger of aged care providers Royal District Nursing Service and RSL Care.
Value: Undisclosed
Area: M&A
Key players: The Herbert Smith Freehills team was led by corporate partner Brendan Earle (pictured), who had assistance from special counsel Alice Macdougall, senior associate Alex Bean and solicitor Jill Davis.
Deal significance: RDNS is Australia’s oldest provider of home nursing and health care services. Today it provides quality clinical nursing and care services to people in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. In any given year, RDNS makes more than 2 million visits to over 40,000 people, mainly in their own homes.
Since the establishment of RSL Care’s first veterans’ hostel in 1938, RSL Care’s services have expanded to serve the broader community, and today provide services to more than 20,000 older Australians in metropolitan, rural and remote areas of Queensland and NSW.
The proposed complementary merger of RDNS and RSL Care would create a single organisation capable of delivering more high-quality services to more people every day.
The merger will be managed in a way that ensures total continuity of services for clients and residents of RDNS and RSL Care, plus stability for employees.
Herbert Smith Freehills lead partner Brendan Earle said: “The merger of these trusted organisations shows strategic decisions are continuing to be made, as not-for-profit healthcare service providers look to increase scale and efficiency to make the necessary investments to deliver consumer-directed care in an increasingly competitive environment.”
Note: Details about RDNS have been updated.