07I am stepping down at a very positive time for Spire Healthcare. It is no mean feat that in its fourth year of operation, against a strong ebb tide in the economy, the business has once again achieved its financial and operational targets. I would like to congratulate the management team and staff. The success of Spire Healthcare celebrates the hard work and team spirit of our employees, who in turn rely on us for good communication. Our strategies, our staff and the consultants who work with us have enabled Spire to deliver excellent services across the country and Spire continues to grow on these solid foundations.Thank you to my fellow directors, and my congratulations and good wishes to Garry Watts as he takes the helm in what promises to be another exciting and successful year. Robert Cooke, Chairman Leadership successionGarry Watts, 54, was CEO of SSL International plc for six years until its acquisition by Reckitt Benckiser in November 2010 and was previously its CFO. SSL was a £2.5 billion consumer healthcare company headquartered in the UK with global operations. It had a large brand portfolio that included Durex and Scholl. Garry is a chartered accountant and a former partner at KPMG. He is now a Non-Executive Director of Stagecoach plc and of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. He was previously a Director of Protherics plc and Celltech plc and was a member of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency supervisory board for 17 years.

08Spire Healthcare Annual Review 2010Chief Executive's statementWe have seen another period of double-digit earnings growth, demonstrating that this business is capable of delivering solid results even in the most challenging economic times.""