Arch Healthcare

What Arch Healthcare does

Arch Healthcare (legal entity: Arch Health CIC) is a specialist GP surgery and Community Interest Company providing primary healthcare to people experiencing homelessness in Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom. The organisation traces its roots to 1998 when Dr Chris Sargeant established the pioneering Morley Street surgery, before being reincorporated as Arch Health CIC in 2017 by a clinical team including Dr Tim Worthley, Hannah Bishop, and Gary Bishop to rescue the at-risk service. Its core offering is NHS primary care delivered through a single surgery at The School Clinic on Morley Street, supplemented by four integrated programmes: Pathway hospital inreach at Royal Sussex County Hospital (the longest-running Pathway programme outside London), a Health Engagement outreach project in partnership with Justlife, mobile community outreach, and Step Down Beds recovery accommodation with YMCA Downslink.

The technology stack is built on standard NHS infrastructure rather than proprietary systems: SystmOne (TPP) for electronic patient records and online appointment booking, NHS App integration for repeat prescriptions, and AccuRx Florey for online consultations. The clinical technology differentiator is the Pathway Hospital Inreach service architecture, which identifies homeless patients at admission, coordinates clinical and housing support, and ensures safe discharge to stable accommodation rather than the streets, a model operating for 10 years with measurable reductions in A&E attendance, unplanned admissions, readmissions, and street discharge rates.

As a Community Interest Company, Arch's business model is NHS-commissioned primary care funded through Brighton & Hove CCG/ICS (now NHS Sussex), with supplementary grant income from The Health Foundation for the Common Ambition co-production project and partnership-funded services such as mobile COVID-19 vaccination. Any surplus is reinvested into services rather than distributed. Patients register directly, are referred through partner organisations, or access services via street outreach. The organisation holds a CQC 'Outstanding' rating across all 5 inspection areas, achieved in its first assessment in 2018, and has delivered over 60,000 patient consultations and supported 2,000+ hospital inpatients over a five-year period. Arch operates as a non-profit social enterprise with no parent company, no external funding rounds, and a geographic footprint limited to Brighton & Hove.

Name

Arch Healthcare

Legal name

Arch Health CIC

Website

https://archhealthcare.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arch Healthcare (Arch Health CIC) is a Brighton & Hove-based Community Interest Company operating the UK's only specialist homeless GP surgery, delivering NHS primary care, hospital inreach, outreach, and health engagement services to people experiencing homelessness alongside NHS Sussex and a network of 30+ partner organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Healthcare Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Living with Supportive Services (Light ADL/IADL Support) (HLADAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Respite Care for Adults with Disabilities / Special Needs (HSABAGAI)

Keywords

• Homeless healthcare services
• Inclusion health primary care
• NHS specialist GP surgery
• Community health outreach
• Substance use recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. NHS Primary Care Contract: As a GP surgery providing NHS services, Arch receives NHS funding through Brighton & Hove CCG/ICS for primary care services delivered to registered patients. Being a Community Interest Company (CIC), any surplus is reinvested into services rather than distributed to shareholders.
2. Extended Access Appointments: Additional appointments provided through partnership with Brighton and Hove Federation, extending access to evenings and weekends.
3. Health Foundation Grant (Common Ambition): Major grant funding from The Health Foundation supporting the Brighton & Hove Common Ambition project, a city-wide partnership using co-production to improve homeless healthcare.
4. Mobile Vaccination Services: Partnership with NHS to deliver mobile COVID-19 vaccination services to homeless populations. Delivered over 2000 jabs in first year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Arch Healthcare runs a specialist GP surgery and wraparound inclusion health services for people experiencing homelessness and vulnerable housing in Brighton & Hove. Services include primary care GP consultations, hospital inreach at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, community and hostel outreach, health engagement support, and a recovery/step-down pathway for people with substance use and complex needs.

Product overview

Arch Healthcare is a Community Interest Company providing specialist primary healthcare services for people experiencing homelessness in Brighton & Hove. The core offering is a GP surgery at Morley Street, Brighton, complemented by integrated digital services including online appointment booking (SystmOne), NHS App integration, and Florey online consultations. The portfolio includes clinical programmes such as Pathway hospital inreach, Health Engagement outreach, Step Down Beds recovery accommodation, and the Brighton & Hove Common Ambition co-production project. Additional services encompass travel vaccinations, mental health support, and an annual Homeless Health Conference for frontline workers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specialist Homeless GP Surgery
• Hospital Inreach Service
• Community Outreach Service
• Health Engagement Service
• Arch Recovery Substance Use Service
• Step-Down Accommodation Service
• Acute Care Pathway (Pathway model)
• Mental Health and Money Service

Quantifiable outcome

• A&E attendance rates dropped 5-9% annually (2017-2019)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JustlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth engagement workers from Justlife work closely with Arch patients in emergency accommodation. Justlife also provides the Frontline Network coordination and supports the Pathway hospital team.
• University of BrightoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Common Ambition project. Dr Mary Darking provides research expertise on co-production methodology.
• Brighton & Hove City Council (Public Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity council partners supporting Common Ambition and providing housing support. Worked together on the COVID-19 Care and Protect Model that accommodated 400+ people.
• NHS Sussex (formerly Brighton & Hove CCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS commissioners providing high-level support and funding for Arch surgery services. Supportive commissioners who see reducing health inequalities as beneficial to all.
• Sussex Community Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCFT provides the homeless nursing team working alongside Arch in the Pathway hospital team and via outreach from the surgery. Partner in COVID-19 mobile vaccination service.
• St John AmbulancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided team members for the mobile COVID-19 vaccination service, helping vaccinate homeless populations across Brighton.
• Co-opminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-op donated £750 towards patient dignity packs (toiletries, snacks, clothing essentials) for the Pathway hospital inreach service.
• St Mungo'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides services including No Second Night Out to limit time people spend on streets. Referrals and coordination for patients needing housing support.
• Brighton and Hove FederationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing extended access appointments: 6:30pm-8pm weekdays and 9am-5pm weekends, including remote and face-to-face GP, nurse, pharmacist, and healthcare assistant appointments.
• YMCA DownslinkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership on 'Step Down Beds' service offering hospital discharge accommodation with clinical support for people needing somewhere to recover.
• Change Grow Live (CGL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrighton CGL Recovery Service provides drug and alcohol treatment, psychological support, and street outreach. Has provided training to Arch staff and talks at Arch events.
• Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (Mental Health Homeless Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides specialist mental health care to women and men experiencing homelessness. Input at annual conferences and collaborative care.
• Grassroots Suicide PreventionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal suicide prevention organization. Head of Training Agnes Munday spoke at 2022 homeless health conference on 'Conversations that Save Lives'.
• Brighton Housing Trust (First Base)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides day centre services including hot meals (even on Christmas Day) for people who might be sleeping on streets.
• Friends, Families, TravellersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced COVID FAQ video with Dr Tim Worthley addressing traveller community concerns about vaccination.
• Pathway (national)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational homeless healthcare charity. Arch provides GP leadership and team coordination for the Brighton Pathway team at Royal Sussex County Hospital, the longest-running Pathway program outside London.
• Brighton Frontline NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal arm of national Front Line Network providing connection services for frontline workers. Co-hosts annual homeless health conference.
• SouthdownminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialist housing, care and support provider in Sussex. Support workers offer invaluable care to Arch patients with recovery-focused, person-centred approach.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Homeless Link: National membership charity for organizations working with homeless people in England. Wider scope than Arch (umbrella/policy/training), but adjacent ecosystem with overlapping partnerships.
• Crisis UK: Major national homelessness charity with health programme components (e.g., Skylight centres). Broader mission (housing, employment, education) but overlaps with Arch's health-inclusion focus.

Direct peers

• Great Chapel Street Medical Centre: London-based specialist GP surgery for people experiencing homelessness, operating for 30+ years. Same niche (specialist homeless primary care), similar patient cohort, similar service mix including inreach and outreach.
• The Mary Seacole Centre: Specialist primary healthcare centre for homeless and vulnerably housed people in London. Operates an integrated model (GP, mental health, dental) comparable to Arch's surgery-plus-programmes structure.
• UCLH Find & Treat Team: University College London Hospital's specialist outreach team serving homeless and other excluded populations (tuberculosis, screening, vaccinations). Comparable mobile/community outreach service model.
• Justlife: Health engagement charity supporting homeless individuals in emergency accommodation. Already a strategic partner of Arch in Brighton; operates similar model in other UK locations and the Frontline Network.
• Pathway (UK charity): National charity that pioneered the hospital inreach model Arch operates in Brighton. Pathway runs similar homeless hospital teams across multiple NHS trusts, with overlapping leadership, methodology, and funding streams — most direct operational peer.
• Doctors of the World UK: Provides healthcare to excluded populations including homeless, migrants, and asylum seekers via clinics and advocacy. Comparable target population (socially excluded) with primary care and rights-based advocacy.

Regional players

• Sussex Community Foundation Trust (Homeless Nursing Team): NHS community trust providing the homeless nursing team that works alongside Arch in Brighton. Co-delivers the Pathway inreach team and outreach services in the same geography — not a direct competitor but a co-delivery peer.

Emerging players

• Groundswell: Homeless health charity using peer advocacy and co-production to improve healthcare access for people experiencing homelessness. Direct overlap with Common Ambition co-production methodology and health engagement focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/archhealthcic
• Facebookfacebook.com/archhealthcic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arch Healthcare