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SmartCo Future Health

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SCFH wasn’t built to be big. It was built to be better, more personal, more attentive and more connected to the people doing the work.

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Working. Together.

We take a truly holistic approach to digital. From readiness programmes and governance support through to full transformation, data strategy, technology enablement, and end-to-end workstream delivery, we provide seamless support at every stage of your journey.

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Getting you ready

Strategic Advisory

We help leadership teams define clear and practical digital strategies that align technology investment with organisational priorities and evolving models of care.

Our advisory work includes digital strategy development, technology roadmaps, investment planning and independent strategic guidance to support confident decision-making.

Our service offerings include:

Strategy and Innovation: Helping clients shape direction, priorities and future‑focused change

Readiness and Assessment: Understanding current state, risks and capability to deliver

Financial and Commercial: Supporting robust business cases, investment decisions and commercial models

Getting it done

Project and Programme Delivery

We support organisations to successfully deliver complex digital and technology programmes.

We provide programme leadership, project delivery expertise and specialist support to ensure initiatives are implemented effectively, with strong governance, stakeholder engagement and measurable outcomes.

Our service offerings include:

Project and Programme Delivery: From staff augmentation to fully outsourced or milestone‑based delivery

Planning and Governance: Setting up strong structures, controls and decision‑making

Intervention and Remediation: Stepping in to stabilise, recover or reset challenged work

Getting the value

Digital Optimisation and Improvement

Digital transformation continues beyond implementation.

We help organisations maximise the value of existing digital investments by improving system performance, strengthening user adoption and enhancing digital services through continuous improvement and optimisation.

Our service offerings include:

Training and Adoption: Building capability and embedding change

Benefits Realisation: Ensuring outcomes are measured and delivered

Productivity: Improving ways of working, efficiency and value

Where We Bring Our Expertise

Our expertise spans the core components of modern digital healthcare environments, supporting organisations to build resilient, integrated and future-ready digital services.

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Digitally Enabled Healthcare Estates

Supporting healthcare organisations to develop digitally enabled environments where infrastructure, facilities and technology are aligned to support modern clinical services and operational resilience.

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Healthcare Applications

Advising on and supporting the implementation and optimisation of clinical and operational applications that underpin healthcare delivery.

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Technology Services

Strengthening the technology foundations that support healthcare systems, including technology strategy, service design, governance, and operational improvement.

SCFH worked seamlessly with our staff as ‘one team’ to support our EPR procurement and readiness, helping us negotiate and finalise our Nervecentre contract on schedule. Their expertise was invaluable in preparing us for EPR implementation.

Testimonials James Hawkins Icon

James Hawkins

Chief Digital and Information Officer

SCFH played a key role in setting up the Digital Design Collaborative, providing guidance that helped align efforts across the East Midlands Acute Provider network. Their personalised approach and access to top talent made a real difference in achieving our goals.

Testimonials Will Monaghan Icon

Will Monaghan

Group Chief Digital Information Officer

SCFH has delivered high-quality projects for our Trust over the years, bringing credible resources and valuable experience. Their insights and alternative perspectives often exceed expectations and make working with them straightforward and effective.

Testimonials John Paul Birch Icon

John Paul Birch

EPR Manager

SCFH’s clear and timely data migration strategy enabled us to move forward confidently with our EPR programme. Their structured approach provided the plans and guidance we needed to progress successfully.

Testimonials Miriam Jepson Icon

Miriam Jepson

Deputy Head of Digital Transformation

SCFH brought expertise, objectivity, and political acumen to a very challenging initiative. Their support helped NHS Wales make progress in an environment that previously seemed impossible to navigate. eemed impossible to navigate.

 

Testimonials Mike Emery Icon

Mike Emery

Chief Digital and Innovation Officer

Working with SCFH was a great experience. They offered clear, methodical advice and practical outputs that we use daily, and their professionalism and expertise were exceptional. I would definitely engage them again.

Testimonials Zharain Bawa Icon

Zharain Bawa

Product Director

Latest Insights

Explore our latest insights and resources on healthcare trends, best practices and industry news. Stay ahead of the curve with our expert analysis and thought leadership.

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Smart Buildings in Healthcare: The Opportunity is Now

The buildings in which healthcare is delivered have always shaped the quality of care provided within them. Yet for decades, NHS estates have been managed reactively, focused on maintaining ageing infrastructure, responding to operational failures and treating the physical environment as a cost to be controlled rather than a capability to be developed. That mindset is beginning to shift, and the pace of change is accelerating. The New Hospital Programme is setting the direction At the forefront of this transformation is the NHS New Hospital Programme (NHP). Through its Intelligent Hospital vision, the programme has positioned Smart Buildings not as an optional technology upgrade, but as a strategic necessity. From IoT sensors and intelligent energy systems to digital twins and AI-enabled building management platforms, the ambition is both structured and significant. Importantly, this is the first time in this sector, formally articulated at a national programme level. It's worth noting that NHP's smart buildings work is currently focused on the approximately 40 acute hospital Trust schemes within the programme, running in parallel to the day-to-day work of the broader NHS Estates body. While the approach has not yet been formally adopted as a national standard, it represents a clear statement of intent and an increasingly influential reference point for how digital estates thinking should be applied across the NHS. The opportunity extends beyond new hospitals Crucially, the NHS cannot afford to wait for new hospitals to lead the way. Two converging forces make the case for acting now. Firstly, the wider NHS Estates community, working with hundreds of organisations across thousands of sites, is already navigating modernisation programmes where smart building thinking can and should be applied. Secondly, the government's Neighbourhood Health agenda is driving one of the most significant shifts in care delivery in the history of the NHS. With 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres confirmed, and more than 100 expected to be operational by 2030, the NHS is undertaking one of the most significant shifts in care delivery in its history. Bringing diagnostics, community services, mental health support and primary care together under one roof, closer to where people live, represents a massive and immediate opportunity These new and repurposed buildings are being designed right now, and they carry a clear expectation of being digitally enabled spaces that can adapt to evolving service delivery. Getting the digital estates foundations right from the outset, rather than retrofitting them later, will determine how much value these investments ultimately deliver. How SCFH supports NHS Organisations This is precisely the space where SCFH operates. Our Digital Estates practice brings together deep experience across health and social care in the NHS, spanning clinical transformation, operational change, application programmes and infrastructure, with direct experience of the smart buildings strategy being developed within the New Hospital Programme itself. We understand the policy landscape, the technical architecture and, critically, the realities of delivering change within NHS organisations. We work with clients to first understand their organisational strategy, operational priorities and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. From there, we explore how smart building technologies and digital estates capabilities can enable and support those objectives in a practical and proportionate way, ensuring technology serves the strategy, rather than dictating it. We then help organisations assess their current position, define a clear strategic direction and develop a realistic, deliverable roadmap for change. Our services span strategy development, gap analysis, programme and delivery support, benefits realisation, operational transformation and workforce upskilling. The time to act is now For NHS leaders, the question is no longer whether smart buildings are relevant to them. The question is whether they will proactively shape their own digital estates journey, or find themselves trying to catch up later. The standards are emerging. The investment is flowing. The buildings are already being planned and built. Further reading: PM launches new era for NHS with easier care in neighbourhoods Neighbourhood health centre guidance for regions and integrated care boards Government confirms 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres as part of prevention-focused 10-Year Health Plan About Andy Andy brings over 20 years’ experience in digital health and care, having worked on major NHS transformation programmes and across international healthcare systems, spanning both solution architecture and strategic advisory. His ability to connect strategy, technology and delivery, alongside a focus on more connected, data-driven care, will strengthen the impact we deliver for our clients. SCFH. A modern approach to health consulting. We combine strategic advisory with hands-on delivery, across data, digital and technology, helping health, life sciences and public sector organsisations improve outcomes, productivity and long-term value. Our diverse team brings together deep industry expertise, innovative thinking and a shared commitment to delivering outstanding results for our partners.

UK’s Best Workplaces for Development™ 2026

We’re proud to announce that SCFH has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development™ 2026, ranking 21st in the small business category. This recognition from Great Place To Work® highlights organisations that make employee development a key part of their culture, creating environments where people are encouraged to learn, grow and progress in ways that work for them. At SCFH, we believe that when people are supported to develop both personally and professionally, everyone benefits. Whether it’s through structured learning opportunities, mentoring, leadership development or simply giving people the trust and autonomy to grow in their roles, development is something we continuously invest in across the business. Being included on this prestigious list is a reflection of the culture we’ve built together, one where people feel empowered to challenge themselves, share knowledge and shape their own career journey. To determine the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development™, Great Place To Work® analysed anonymous employee feedback alongside company culture, leadership and development practices. Only organisations achieving the highest scores were recognised. This latest recognition adds to an exciting run of achievements for SCFH with Great Place To Work®, following our inclusion in the UK’s Best Workplaces™ 2026 list earlier this year. We’re incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful to our brilliant team for helping make SCFH such a great place to work.

Welcome to Paul Manvell

We’re delighted to welcome Paul Manvell to SCFH as Partner. With extensive experience in healthcare transformation and digital estates, Paul brings deep expertise and a passion for using technology to improve outcomes for patients, staff and communities. We caught up with Paul to learn more about what drew him to SCFH, the trends transforming shaping the future of digital health, and what continues to inspire him both professionally and personally. What excites you most about joining SCFH? What stands out to me most is the people, the energy and the sense of purpose that runs through the business. SCFH has built an exceptional team of talented individuals who are deeply committed to making a difference. The opportunity to work alongside such experienced colleagues, contribute to exciting and meaningful projects and support forward-thinking clients across healthcare is incredibly motivating. In your view, what differentiates SCFH in the market? Without question, it’s our people and our culture. SCFH combines deep sector expertise with a genuine commitment to delivering outcomes that matter. There is a shared determination to go above and beyond for our clients because everyone understands that the work we do ultimately contributes to better patient care. That sense of purpose, combined with a highly collaborative and supportive culture, is what truly sets SCFH apart. What’s one thing you’d like to challenge in the digital health industry? The pace of digital adoption. Healthcare often moves more slowly than it needs to, despite the enormous opportunities that technology presents. During COVID-19, we saw what was possible when urgency aligned with ambition. New digital tools and ways of working were adopted at unprecedented speed. While not every decision was perfect, that period demonstrated that healthcare systems can move quickly when there is a clear focus on improving care. There is a huge opportunity to apply those lessons more consistently across the industry. Which innovations are you watching most closely right now? As my focus at SCFH will be supporting our Digital Estates practice, I’m particularly interested in the technologies that are enabling the NHS Intelligent Hospital vision. The concept of a fully connected healthcare estate, where buildings, infrastructure and clinical systems work together to enhance experiences for patients, staff and visitors, is incredibly exciting. Technologies such as IoT sensors, digital twins, intelligent energy systems and AI-powered building management platforms have the potential to transform healthcare environments, making them smarter, more efficient and more responsive. Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in digital health? Many of the areas SCFH is working in today will play a central role in transforming how the NHS delivers care over the coming years. Genomic sequencing, smart estates, wearable devices integrated with health records, AI-driven diagnostics and advanced robotics all have the potential to transform how care is delivered. What excites me most is the convergence of these technologies and the opportunity to create more personalised, predictive and efficient healthcare systems. What’s one piece of advice that has stayed with you throughout your career? Give everyone in your organisation a voice. Great ideas can come from anywhere, and creating an environment where people feel heard leads to better decisions, stronger teams and more innovative outcomes. Outside of work, what are you enjoying at the moment? I’m currently focused on rebuilding my health and fitness after recovering from a serious illness. Last week, I completed my first Parkrun since my illness, which felt like a significant milestone. I’ve also developed a growing interest in nutrition and gut health, and I’ve been making changes to my diet to support my long-term wellbeing. That journey has given me a renewed appreciation for health, resilience and the importance of continuous improvement, both personally and professionally. We’re thrilled to have Paul on board and look forward to the experience, insight and energy he brings to our work with clients across the health sector. Welcome to the team, Paul.