Optum UK, the UnitedHealth Group subsidiary that owns EMIS, has been acquired by US private equity firm TPG.
The business supplies electronic patient record systems to more than half of GP practices in England, making it one of the most significant providers of NHS primary care IT.
TPG’s acquisition of Optum UK closed on 13 March 2026 for a reported $400 million (£293.5m). This comes despite contrasting reports from Sky News in January 2026 that the deal is valued between £1.2 billion and £1.4 billion.
A spokesperson for Optum said: “TPG has completed its acquisition of Optum UK, comprised of the EMIS business and select Optum assets.
“The transaction establishes Optum UK as a standalone business with enhanced operational support and investment capacity to deliver comprehensive and modern technology solutions that help improve care delivery and efficiency across the UK healthcare system.
“TPG’s partnership will help strengthen our ability to support customers, partners, and suppliers through investment into industry‑leading technology and services, and the development of next‑generation capabilities.
“Our focus remains on delivering trusted systems that enable high-quality and integrated care, aligned with the NHS strategic priorities.”
In May 2025, an episode of Digital Health Unplugged delved into Optum’s acquisition of EMIS and what it means for the NHS and health technology sector.
Dr Shaun O’Hanlon, group chief medical officer at Optum, discussed why it was necessary for EMIS to become Optum and whether there is an element of risk in losing the EMIS name which has been well-known for several decades in the healthcare sector.
The deal follows the recent acquisition of smaller GP software supplier Medicus, which was purchased by French HealthTech firm Doctolib.
Medicus became the first new core GP IT system approved in 25 years when it was included in NHS England’s Tech Innovation Framework in June last year, making it the only competitor to Optum and TPP.
The partnership plans to build on Medicus’s cloud-based GP system and understanding of NHS primary care, with Doctolib’s AI expertise and experience working with more than 40,000 GPs across Europe.