 He remained as Chief Executive until it was taken over by Bupa in 1997.In 1999 he acquired and became Chief Executive of Westminster Health Care plc, the largest publicly quoted healthcare services group in the UK, which acquired Priory Hospitals in 2000.After a management buyout of the Care Home division in 2002, Patel continued as Chief Executive of the Priory Group, the UK's largest independent specialist mental health and education services group.