Chester – 30 June 2021: Ellis Whittam is delighted to announce the latest in a string of acquisitions by parent company Marlowe plc.

CQC Compliance (‘CQC’), a care quality compliance consultancy, has been acquired with a total enterprise value payable expected to be approximately in the region of £2 million.

With a national footprint, CQC provides retained compliance services to primary and secondary care organisations, including GP surgeries and private clinics, as well as care providers and care homes, to ensure compliance with health and social care regulations. The acquisition adds a new adjacent capability to Marlowe’s Governance, Risk and Compliance division, broadening the Group’s offering of regulated compliance services into the care market. It offers synergies with Ellis Whittam – the Group’s leading platform in the provision of recurring, fixed-fee Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety services and software.

Both Ellis Whittam and CQC’s health and social care clients will benefit from joined-up access to Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety support as well as compliance consultancy.

Gavin Snell, CEO at Ellis Whittam, commented: “We’re delighted to come together with the specialist team at CQC Compliance, particularly given the ever-developing and changing landscape of the regulatory system. This deal adds a significant new dimension to the Ellis Whittam family of service offerings and will benefit from the capability we’ve built to serve over 35,000 UK employers across all sectors. Culturally, both of our organisations have a people-first mentality and this underpins the long-term relationships we build with our clients.”

Greg Bamber, Chief Executive at CQC Compliance, said: “We’re a young business, but as a board of directors we passionately believe that joining the Ellis Whittam family, and going on the journey with Marlowe, will allow us to accelerate the market leading service we deliver to our clients. As the first to emulate Ellis Whittam’s fixed-fee model of professional support in health and social care compliance, our team is excited to build a plan for the coming years that draws on the Group’s depth of expertise and resource.”

The acquisition swiftly follows Marlowe’s acquisition of specialist employment law firm Cater Leydon Millard earlier this month, and a trio of previous acquisitions made in March – ESPHR, Youmanage, and HR Services Partnership (HRSP) – which joined Ellis Whittam and Law At Work (LAW) to strengthen the Group’s Employment Law and HR arm.