Macquarie bank (ASX:MQG) is the chief creditor to the TPG-Carlyle consortium buying Australia's second-largest hospital owner Healthscope, with the banker having about $150 million in committed funds out of total funded facilities of $1.2 billion and another $300m in committed but undrawn funds.

Westpac and ANZ, both coming in around the $125m mark, are the other two major lenders.

Macquarie's re-entering in the LBO market is a significant change in attitude stressing the fact that big dollars are to be made now, compared to pre-crisis days when lending margins were razor-thin.

Westpac, which was also not active in the latter days of the LBO boom, is one of the most aggressive entrants in the market today, according to reports.

The new private-equity owners will pay approximately $120m in annual interest, or 46 per cent of earnings before interest tax and depreciation.

Their strategy is to keep the business intact and expand through new wings on current hospitals. TPG-Carlyle will also stick with the existing businesses, including pathology, but no extension on old aged homes.

TPG and Carlyle will pay Healthscope $2.7 billion, the largest takeover offer for from a private equity concern in more than four years, for Australia's second-largest hospital owner.

Healthscope directors declared yesterday that they unanimously recommend that shareholders accept a $6.26 per share cash bid from the consortium after a three-month process. The offer is 16 per cent higher than Healthscope's Friday closing price of $5.40.