PRIVATE medical group Bupa said group profits remained healthy last year – despite suffering in the UK, where unemployment drove a 5% slip in customer numbers.
Bupa saw its UK surplus, which also includes US-based Health Dialogue, decline to £16.8m from £39.8m a year earlier on broadly flat revenues of £2.1bn for 2009.
But it said total pre-tax profits – which are all re-invested back into the business – more than doubled to £416.5m after the firm bounced back from the credit crunch.
Underlying profits grew by 4% to £428.2m on revenues 17% higher at £6.9bn.
