Statement From Court Cavendish

LONDON, July 18, 2011 -

Court Cavendish, the health and social care specialists
currently retained as advisers to NHP, can today confirm
provisional acceptance of the invitation to join NHP in setting up
an operating company in order to put NHP’s 249 homes currently let
to Southern Cross onto a firm financial footing.

This new company will continue to rely on the existing Southern
Cross staff who manage NHP’s 249 homes and the back office services
delivered by Southern Cross’s existing infrastructure to ensure
continuity of care and operations.

It is envisaged that Court Cavendish will have a stake in the
ownership of the overall business, therefore removing one of the
anomalies of the current structure and ensuring a further alignment
of the interests of both the property company and the operating
company.

Dr Chai Patel, Chairman of Court
Cavendish, said today:

“Court Cavendish was proud to have
been retained to work with NHP on the restructuring of the Southern
Cross business and I can now confirm that we intend to join NHP in
the formation of a new operating company and having a stake in the
overall company.

“We hope that with our experience and
the quality and values of our team, which is drawn from both the
independent and public sectors, we can help bring an end to the
uncertainty and worry of recent times.

“The needs of those who currently
live in these homes, and their families and carers, are a matter of
the greatest importance to all of us advising those involved in
this challenging situation.

“I am confident that the necessary
funding is in place to adequately launch a new company that will
not suffer from the same problems of the past.

“We hope that this announcement is
the start of bringing to an end the uncertainty that residents,
their families and staff in all the homes have had to endure over
the last few months.

“I can also confirm that in due
course I will be making statements on how a significant proportion
of any equity that I hold in the overall company will be put into a
charitable foundation.

“In the coming years we will work
towards building a high quality integrated health and care services
company. The country cannot afford another company to go through
what happened to Southern Cross.  We are totally focused on
ensuring that we have a seamless transition.”

Notes to Editors

1. Court Cavendish Limited was re-established in 2007 by Dr Chai
   Patel and David Spruzen to deliver lasting operational and
   financial turnarounds of social care and health care
   organisations.

1. The Court Cavendish team draws on a wide range of skills and
   has a track record of multi-site operational and financial
   turnarounds in the social care & health care sectors with a
   deep knowledge and experience of working with residents &
   service users and their families, local authorities, health teams,
   regulators and central government.

1. Court Cavendish team members have in their previous roles
   established and run some of the UK’s largest quoted and private
   health and social care companies including CareFirst, Westminster
   Health Care and the Priory Group, within which they have delivered
   significant quality enhancement, operational turnaround, organic
   growth and financial improvement.

Court Cavendish Principals

• Dr Chai Patel, started his career in the NHS and as Chairman
  has over 20 years of experience leading organisations in the
  sector, has supported Government in the development of social care
  policies and has a track record of turnarounds and organic
  growth.

• David Spruzen, Chief Executive, has significant experience
  leading organisations in the sector and a track record of
  operational and financial turnarounds and restructurings for
  complex multi-site businesses.

• Robert Lewis, Local Authority & Government Relationship
  Director, has 30 years of experience leading both local authorities
  and private sector providers of social care and health care
  services. He also has a track record of turnaround of quality,
  service provision and relationships with local authorities,
  regulators and central government.

For further information contact the Court Cavendish Press Office on 0800-014-8462