Pre-tax profits at Healthcare Locums (HCL) jumped 64% to £9.5m in the first six months of the year.

Revenue was up 8.5% to £86.5m compared to the first six months of 2008 (£79.7m) and operating profit rose 43.8% to £10.5m (2008: £7.3m). 

Kate Bleasdale, executive vice chairman, says: “We are delighted with these interim results. HCL continues to deliver strong organic growth in all its divisions. The expansion of our international division continues with new offices now opened in Australia, Canada and the Middle East. The UK divisions continue to gain marketshare in a growing market. We look forward with confidence to the remainder of 2009 and beyond.”

The company announced that Andy McRae, its chief operating officer, has today resigned from the board of HCL for personal reasons.

Mo Dedat, formerly executive finance director, has taken over McRae’s role of executive chief operating officer. Diane Jarvis, currently group managing director, will assume full time responsibility for the executive financial officer role, as chief financial officer for HCL.