Quieter Hospitals, Smarter Care

GCA Digital Outcomes and Specialists 7 (DOS 7)

Welcome to Andy Brett

We’re delighted to welcome Andy Brett to SCFH as a Partner, as we grow our leadership team and expand our work in digital health. We caught up with Andy to talk about his career to date, his new role and his thoughts on digital health. Discover more about his journey and the depth of experience he brings to SCFH. Andy. Tell us about your career journey? I began my career as a software engineer, developing monitoring and control systems for fibre optic submarine telecommunications cables – critical infrastructure connecting countries across the globe. That early experience exposed me to complex, high-reliability systems and gave me the opportunity to work internationally, delivering installations and training across multiple countries. I later moved into solution architecture and delivery, leading the design, integration and implementation of large-scale call centre platforms, including telephony and CRM systems, across financial services, automotive and telecommunications sectors. This broadened my experience of delivering customer-centric systems at scale, working across Europe and the US. My transition into healthcare came through the National Programme for IT, where I spent five years contributing to one of the NHS’ most ambitious digital transformation programmes. That marked a turning point in my career, and I’ve now spent over 20 years working across health and care. Since then, I’ve worked both within organisations and as an advisor, providing strategic, architectural and technical leadership to a wide range of health and care providers in the UK and internationally. This has included major digital transformation initiatives and several international new hospital programmes, most recently contributing to the NHS New Hospital Programme, where the focus is on embedding digital at the heart of future healthcare delivery. What’s a project you’re especially proud of and why? My ongoing involvement in large-scale new hospital programmes stands out, particularly through the NHS New Hospital Programme. What makes this work so meaningful is the opportunity to embed digital from the ground up, not as an add-on but as a core part of how hospitals are designed and operated. This involves working across clinical, operational and estates teams to define requirements, align stakeholders, and ensure digital infrastructure and data capabilities are considered from the outset. These programmes are inherently complex, bringing together multiple organisations, disciplines and priorities. Helping to navigate that complexity and translate strategic ambition into something practical and deliverable is particularly rewarding. Essentially putting digital at the heart of future healthcare, creating environments that are better connected, more efficient and better equipped to support both patients and staff. What are you most looking forward to about joining SCFH as a Partner? Having known several members of the team for many years, I’ve seen first-hand the impact SCFH is making across the health and care sector. I’m excited to build on those strong foundations, scaling the work, shaping new opportunities, and delivering meaningful outcomes for clients. What sets SCFH apart? It comes down to the people. There’s a clear, shared commitment to client engagement and delivery, not just getting the job done, but achieving the best possible outcomes for the organisations we work with. What are the biggest opportunities for innovation in digital health? One of the biggest opportunities is still getting the fundamentals right, particularly integration, interoperability and effective data management. Too often, organisations attempt to innovate on top of fragmented systems and inconsistent data, which limits the impact of new technologies. Treating data as a true strategic asset, with the right governance and standards is a critical foundation, and one that many organisations are still developing. At the same time, there is significant opportunity to apply AI in ways that support, rather than replace, day-to-day activities. While much of the focus is on clinical use cases, there is growing potential in operational areas such as estates and facilities management, especially as healthcare environments become more connected and intelligent. Ultimately, the real opportunity lies in creating joined-up, data-driven environments where technology enhances both care delivery and how healthcare organisations operate behind the scenes. What’s a trend people aren’t talking about enough? One of the most overlooked challenges is the gap between digital ambition and the reality of delivery. Many organisations have clear strategies and bold aspirations, but lack the capability, capacity or maturity to translate them into sustained change. This gap is even more evident beyond core clinical systems, particularly in estates and facilities management, where digital maturity is often lower but the opportunity is significant. As healthcare environments become more connected and data-rich, the built environment itself is generating valuable operational data, yet many organisations aren’t set up to fully utilise it. Closing this gap, through skills, governance and a more integrated approach to data, is where much of the real opportunity lies. Organisations that can bridge ambition with practical delivery across both clinical and operational domains will see the greatest impact. What motivates you on a tough day? Taking a step back and focusing on the bigger picture helps. Breaking challenges down into manageable steps with the team, and finding small wins along the way, keeps momentum going. In healthcare, even small improvements can make a meaningful difference to patients, staff and services. What’s a skill you’d love to master outside of work? Having worked internationally over the years, I’d love to become fluent in another language. What’s your go-to-way to unwind after a busy week? In a word: exercise. I do resistance training three times a week, complemented by swimming and cycling at the weekend (weather permitting). Rest and recovery days are just as important too.

Living Our Social Value

Whilst recently reviewing a tender response, I paused on our Social Value section and felt genuinely proud. Everything written there reflected what we actually do. It wasn’t a set of promises or a compliance exercise. It was a reflection of how we show up every day. Social value at SCFH is lived, not performed. Across the business, our teams contribute to wellbeing, inclusion, environmental responsibility and community impact in ways that are structured, thoughtful and meaningful. It is an approach that continues to mature and strengthen. Turning Commitment Into Action Last week, Taja and I visited HMP Bronzefield, Europe’s largest women’s prison and only a short distance from our Surrey office. The visit formed part of our pledge through the New Futures Network, which exists to connect employers with prisons and increase employment opportunities for prison leavers.The experience was humbling and eye opening. The women we met were confident, prepared and full of potential. Caroline Atkins, the Employment Broker for the London Prison Group, captured the essence of this work perfectly when she said: Partnerships like this genuinely change lives and open doors for women as they move closer to release. Caroline Atkins Her words are a powerful reminder that people are never defined by their circumstances and that true diversity, when embraced, becomes a real strength. Celebrating Women, Championing Inclusion The visit also coincided with International Women’s Day over the weekend, which reminded us of the inspiring women we work with every day and why we remain committed champions for women in technology and healthcare. Their leadership and resilience help shape our culture and our impact. Creating a Culture Where People Thrive This week is Neurodiversity Awareness Week. More than 20 percent of our permanent team are neurodiverse at SCFH, reflecting society as a whole. What makes this even more meaningful is that it has happened naturally, without formal programmes or recruitment targets. It is the result of a culture built on psychological safety, trust and flexibility. Inclusion here is not an initiative; it is the environment we deliberately and consistently create. Our Wider Social Value Commitments Our approach to social value runs throughout the organisation. We have committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Bronze Award in recognition of our support for veterans and reservists. We maintain environmental responsibility as part of our everyday operations. Our people intuitively make sustainable choices, which means meeting standards such as ISO 14001 becomes a natural and embedded part of our behaviour. We continue to invest in community engagement, volunteering, mental health and wellbeing, and digital inclusion work. These efforts are grounded in partnership and purpose, designed to create local impact that is visible and lasting. Why This Matters The past week has reinforced that social value at SCFH is not something we write in tender documents. It is reflected in our actions, our relationships and our culture. Whether through engagement with prisons, supporting women in tech, celebrating neurodiversity, maintaining environmental stewardship or giving back to our communities, we are building a business that leads with humanity and purpose. Social value here isn’t a statement. It is who we are. About Adam Libbey Adam Libbey is the Director of Operations and an experienced people and change practitioner whose career spans the Army, Big 4 consulting, and a growing advisory environment. Across these settings, he has developed a strong understanding of how people respond to challenge, how organisations adapt and how culture can enable or block transformation. He brings a calm, practical and people‑centred approach to helping teams navigate change and deliver meaningful progress. 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.