** Shares of HealthCo Healthcare and Wellness REIT HCW.AX rise as much as 16.8% to A$0.765, the biggest intra-day pct jump in a year, to their highest since January 28

** REIT says Healthscope agreed to appoint Bethesda Health Care as the new operator of its Mount Private Hospital

** Unlisted Healthcare Fund (UHF) and HealthCo REIT own 11 Healthscope hospitals, including Mount Private Hospital

** Healthscope, one of Australia's largest private hospital operators, has a network of 38 hospitals and was placed under receivership a year ago

** Not-for-profit private hospital operator Bethesda will start operating Mount Private Hospital in 1Q27 under new long-term lease

** More than 2.3 million shares change hands, 4.2 times the 30-day average

** Stock down 2.1% YTD, including the day's moves