Sonic Healthcare Limited is closed to acquiring pathology assets in regional NSW and the ACT from Healthscope Ltd., as Sonic is reviving a previous bid for part of the business. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has this week launched an informal review of Sonic's proposed acquisition of Healthscope's pathology businesses in NSW's Southern Tablelands district and the ACT. It is understood that Healthscope has split its NSW and ACT business into four separate regions and invited tenders for each in an attempt to overcome any concerns about competition.

The Australian added that Healthscope executive director Robert Cooke could not be contacted on January 3, 2012 and Sonic has yet to make a formal announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange. A spokeswoman for Sonic said the company had no comment on the deal, which is listed on the mergers' register of the ACCC's website.