PeoplePlanner Limited, workforce management solution focused on the UK Care Sector

Established in 2006. At the time of acquisition, PeoplePlanner Limited had around 10 employees, nearly £1 million in SaaS recurring revenue, and with more than 300 Clients, PeoplePlanner was building a good reputation in the UK Social care marketplace.

Ian McMullon, one of the longest-serving founders at The Access Group, shares his experience

"Through becoming a part of the Access family in 2013, we were able to accelerate our growth journey.

At the time, we were not looking to sell; the approach came somewhat out of the blue, but we’ve never looked back. Access offered the resources, support, and scale to grow PeoplePlanner beyond what we could achieve independently.

The deal provided a good return for investors at the time, and for me, it removed myself as the single point of failure and enabled accelerated growth for the business. Ultimately, selling helped reduce stress and personal risk; it was good for me and my family.

In 2013, the care software market was starting to evolve, expanding from rostering to a broader ecosystem of solutions including digital care planning. There was also a shift in the care software providers too – with a few starting to be acquired by larger organisations.

The acquisition changed the face of PeoplePlanner and became the catalyst for the creation of the Access Health & Social Care Division (now the Access Health, Support and Care Division) within The Access Group. Further acquisitions followed aligning to the evolving needs of the care sector, with later acquisitions also enabling entry into the Health (NHS) & Support Local Government) spaces.

Having been on both sides of the process to founders, I would say be transparent and realistic about your business’s capabilities and trajectory, embrace the strengths of a larger organisation, but push back when necessary to preserve innovation. To acquirers, buy into the founder’s vision and allow them to remain entrepreneurial; this will ensure innovation is not stifled.”

At just 16, Ian launched his career in software, quickly carving out a niche in the health sector. Ian developed People Planner, a lean rostering solution that simplifies complex scheduling across multiple sites and sectors.

Now as Divisional Director, Ian oversees Access Health’s 22 businesses, driving seamless operations and digital excellence.