Profits down at healthcare firm

THE COST of changing computer systems to cope with the year 2000 date bug, and the failure to get new facilities in the behavioural medicine division on stream on time, led to an 11 per cent fall in profits before exceptionals to pounds 16.1m in the year to end May at Westminster Healthcare.

After exceptionals, profits before tax were up 15 per cent to pounds 13.6m. Turnover rose by 31 per cent to pounds 145m and operating profits were up 13 per cent to pounds 26.8m.