NHS partner Livi takes medicine with new round of layoffs

Livi, which is owned by the Swedish digital health company Kry, is making about 10% of its non-clinical UK workforce redundant, Sky News understands.

One of the UK’s biggest digital doctor-on-demand services is laying off a chunk of its workforce, part of a wave of technology industry layoffs which have gathered pace in recent months.

Sky News has learnt that Livi, whose parent company, Kry, has raised hundreds of millions of pounds to expand, is making roughly 10% of its non-clinical workforce redundant.

Sources said the cuts equated to roughly 25 employees.

Livi has a workforce of approximately 630 GPs, having struck an initial deal with the NHS to offer video consultations in 2018.

It has competed with the likes of Babylon Health, although the latter has retrenched following its calamitous period as a publicly traded company in the US.

Kry, which is based in Sweden, laid off approximately 300 staff last year.

It raised $160m in its latest funding round just under a year ago.

Its investors include Accel, Index Ventures and Creandum.

“We have grown significantly in clinical staff over the last year and plan to grow further,” said Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, COO, Kry Livi.

“However, we have recently completed a reduction in the headcount of our non-clinical employees.

Read more:
Health secretary pledges end to ‘8am scramble for GP appointments’ with £240m funding
Patients should be charged for GP appointments and A&E visits to ease waits, Sajid Javid says

“This is in line with our planned shift towards being a more efficient and profitable business, and an increased focus on our clinical services.”

The company said it remained “confident about our market position within the UK and across Europe”.

“Every day we provide thousands of GP appointments, helping to alleviate pressure on the NHS and providing flexible working for hundreds of GPs.

“Demand for accessible and convenient primary care has never been higher and we remain committed to delivering high-quality digital GP services, both in partnership with the NHS and our other partners”.