Scottish private healthcare provider Cosmedicare has purchased the St Ellen's Hospital facility on the Kirkton Campus in Livingston in a seven-figure deal, securing permanent ownership of the site and an adjoining extension plot.

According to a report by The Edinburgh Reporter, the undisclosed deal with former landlord Coralinn LLP grants Cosmedicare outright ownership of St Ellen's Hospital alongside an extension site that already holds planning permission from West Lothian Council for a 10,000 square foot, two-storey expansion. The development will increase surgical capacity for more complex procedures including orthopaedics and longer-stay operations, while supporting future job creation.

The acquisition follows a financial turnaround for the business, which recorded a loss in 2025 following a drop in bariatric surgery revenue attributed to the rise in weight-loss medications. Under the leadership of founder and Managing Director Gill Baird, Cosmedicare refocused on higher-margin plastic and reconstructive procedures, increasing turnover from £4.4 million (€5.2 million) to £6 million (€7.1 million) and returning to a £1.5 million (€1.78 million) profit. The business projects turnover of £7 million (€8.3 million) for 2027.

Cosmedicare currently employs more than 30 people across its Livingston and Glasgow facilities, delivering cosmetic surgery, gender-affirming care, orthopaedics, and private GP services. Expansion into dentistry is expected in early 2027. The business has also launched an NHS Waiting List Initiative offering preferential self-pay rates, designed to help patients access treatment more quickly as public sector waiting lists remain under pressure.

Gill Baird said: "Owning our hospital gives us complete control over our future. It allows us to invest with confidence, expand our facilities and continue building a centre of excellence capable of meeting Scotland's growing demand for high-quality, consultant-led healthcare. This acquisition is about much more than buying a building. It's about creating a long-term healthcare destination that will continue serving patients for generations while supporting the wider healthcare system."

For private healthcare operators, the transaction illustrates how outright property ownership can underpin long-term investment confidence, enabling operators to commit capital to facility expansion without the constraints of leasehold arrangements.