What are the main challenges currently facing the care sector?
The care sector is under enormous pressure. Inflation and rising energy costs are placing a heavy burden on operators – but logically these costs cannot simply be passed on to residents. At the same time, a shortage of skilled labour means that beds aren’t fully occupied. This results in further financial losses. We have experienced this at CURATA, a large care home group with more than 2,500 employees. Here, an insolvency in self-administration was able to stabilise operations and lead to a long-term solution. However, you have to act early if you want to future-proof your organisation.
How can BBL support companies through this crisis?
Our experience from clients such as Lioncare Wohnen and Pflege GmbH or the home care service AHD tells us that successful restructuring depends on a solution that is both customised and fast. Business process optimisation is part of this, alternative solutions such as StaRUG proceedings help and self-administration proceedings or targeted reorganisation can prevent closure in many cases. A good example of this is Lioncare, an outpatient care provider with over 2,200 customers, for which we managed to continue business operations, developed a reorganisation plan and successfully supported the company through its restructuring. This is particularly close to our hearts, because first and foremost it’s about making sure people get the care they need!
And what can the care sector do to safeguard its future?
Be open and act early! Operators must change their structures – through process optimisation, digital solutions or cooperation with investors. As in all other sectors, timely dialogue with banks, creditors and specialist advisors is crucial. With the outpatient home care provider AHD, a viable solution was developed through a forward-looking reorganisation of the business and by approaching investors. The business kept running. And that is precisely our twofold goal: to overcome crises and establish long-term stability for care facilities.
