Scottish entrepreneur Gill Baird and founder of Cosmedicare has acquired the St Ellen’s Hospital facility in Livingston, including the adjoining site, in an undisclosed seven-figure deal.
Securing ownership of its flagship hospital marks the biggest milestone yet for the healthcare business as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
The acquisition follows a remarkable year for Cosmedicare, which has transformed its fortunes after recording its first-ever loss in 2025.
Turnover increased from £4.4 million to £6m and the company posted a £1.5 million profit, representing one of the strongest financial performances in the company’s history. Turnover of £7 million is projected for 2027.
Owning St Ellen’s Hospital outright provides the business with control over its development and underpins plans to expand surgical capacity through a new 10,000 sq ft two-storey extension at the St Ellen’s hospital facility on the Kirkton Campus in Livingston.
The expansion will enable Cosmedicare to deliver more complex surgical procedures, including orthopaedics and longer-stay operations, while increasing capacity across a range of specialist services and supporting future job creation.
Founded by Ms Baird in 2016, Cosmedicare has grown from a single cosmetic surgery clinic in Edinburgh into one of Scotland’s leading independent healthcare providers, operating under the St Ellen’s Private Hospitals brand with additional facilities in Glasgow.
Today the business employs more than 30 people.
The hospital itself is named after Ms Baird’s grandmother, Ellen, whose entrepreneurial spirit inspired her business career.
Ms Baird said: “Buying St Ellen’s Hospital is one of the proudest moments of my career. When I founded Cosmedicare ten years ago, my ambition was to build a healthcare business that would genuinely raise standards in Scotland’s independent sector while always putting patients first.
“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.”
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Alongside cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Cosmedicare has broadened its services significantly over the past two years, introducing private GP provision, family health clinics, hormone and menopause services, with expansion into dentistry expected later this year, early 2027.
The business has also launched its NHS Waiting List Initiative, offering preferential self-pay rates and a Scotland-wide best price promise designed to help patients access treatment more quickly while easing pressure on NHS waiting lists.
Ms Baird added: “This is only the beginning. We have significant capacity to grow and a clear vision for the future.
“We believe independent healthcare has an increasingly important role to play alongside the NHS, helping people access safe, high-quality treatment when they need it.
Steven McMillan, Investment manager for Corallin, the hospital building’s former landlord, said: “It has been hugely rewarding to see the transformation of the property into the impressive, state-of-the-art hospital it is today.
“Gill’s vision, determination and the hard work of her entire team have been commendable, and they have created a first-class healthcare facility with exciting potential for further growth.
“Our team at Coralinn is pleased to have played a part in the building’s journey and wish Gill and the team every success as they take St Ellen’s into its next chapter.”
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