DRC Group, a supplier of temporary staff to the NHS, has been acquired by James Caan’s private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw.

DRC Group, a supplier of staff to the NHS, has been acquired by Hamilton Bradshaw, the private equity firm founded by Dragons’ Den star James Caan.

The buy-in management buy-out (BIMBO) was funded by debt of £11.5 million from asset-based lender Venture Structured Finance. The deal sees Hamilton Bradshaw acquire 90 per cent of DRC, including the majority of departing founder Darren Card and FD Riaz Dhanji’s shareholdings.

Caan comments, ‘We are excited and energised about the prospect of working with DRC, which has maintained an excellent reputation in the market.’

DRC Group, which comprises the DRC Locums and Locumlinx companies, has enjoyed ‘nine successive quarters of growth’, having just won a number of NHS contracts. Sales were £50 million last year and this year are expected to surpass £80 million.

The 41 companies in Hamilton Bradshaw’s portfolio have a combined turnover of £500 million.