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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 SmartCo Future Health 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 Next 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. About SmartCo Future Health SmartCo Future Health is an award-winning consultancy shaping the future of healthcare. We bring a best-in-class team and future-focused approach; empowering clients, programmes and partners. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all.
Adam Libbey
12 March 2026
The UK – Norway Policy Playbook
SmartCo Future Health is pleased to share our newly published UK – Norway Policy Playbook, capturing key insights from the UK – Norway Smart Hospitals and Intelligent Health Systems Roundtable. Convened with Team Norway, DNVI and Sonitor, the event brought together senior leaders from healthcare, digital transformation, clinical operations and policy to explore how intelligent hospital systems can improve patient safety and clinical performance. Health systems in the UK, Norway and other advanced economies face growing pressures, rising demand, workforce shortages, increasing clinical complexity and fiscal constraints. The playbook highlights that incremental reform is no longer sufficient; instead, system-wide redesign and intelligence embedded from the outset are needed. “The UK – Norway Policy Playbook articulates a strategic vision for the next generation of smart and intelligent hospitals. Informed by senior leadership dialogue and SCFH sustained investment in understanding cross border and system-wide healthcare challenges, it outlines how embedding intelligence across workforce, pathways and digital infrastructure can enable more anticipatory, outcomes-driven care. Crucially, it establishes the foundations for stronger patient safety and more resilient, sustainable health systems for years to come.” Taja Quigley, Partner, SCFH Key themes from the roundtable include: Safety by design: Embedding safety into hospital buildings, digital systems and operating models. Intelligence in the system: Aligning people, processes and technology through standardisation and governance. Platforms, not projects: Designing systems that can adapt and scale innovations across the health system. Interoperability: Seamless data and information flows across community, acute, and digital care pathways. Behaviour follows system design: Creating environments where the safest ways of working are also the easiest. The playbook makes clear that intelligent hospitals are defined not by technology volume, but by how effectively they support safer, more integrated care. Hospitals must function as part of a wider health ecosystem, supporting care closer to home while reserving hospital capacity for patients who most need specialist intervention. SCFH will continue to facilitate cross-system dialogue, shared learning, and collaboration to accelerate the development of safe, intelligent, and sustainable hospital systems.
Hannah Granshaw
11 March 2026
Powered by People
It’s now been six months since I stepped into the world of digital healthcare and began working closely with the NHS. In that short time, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: this sector is powered by people. Dedicated, purpose driven, hardworking people who genuinely want to improve healthcare for everyone. And although healthcare is often described as the biggest industry in the world, what has surprised me most is how small and connected it feels in reality. Relationships matter. Community matters. And there is a shared sense of purpose that is rare and inspiring. The refreshed NHS 10 Year Health Plan sets out three major system shifts: moving care from hospitals into communities moving from analogue to digital shifting the focus from sickness to prevention These ambitions reflect exactly what I have observed across the system. The plan makes it clear that the NHS must embark on radical change to remain sustainable. It calls for reimagining how care is delivered, empowering patients, and using technology to predict and prevent ill health rather than simply treat it. NHS England leaders have emphasised that digital transformation is not about buying more systems but about building connected, interoperable foundations that actually enable better and safer care. That message resonates strongly with what I have seen so far. Technology on its own doesn’t create change; people do. The shift to digital maturity will only succeed if culture, confidence and ways of working evolve alongside the tools. And a necessary disclaimer: I’m not qualified to make bold statements about clinical practice, nor do I have decades of NHS experience. I’m still new to the sector. But what my background in the Army, Big 4 consulting, and now a smaller advisory environment has taught me, is how people respond to challenge, how organisations adapt and how culture drives or blocks transformation. Those are the lenses through which I interpret what I see. One of the surprises of joining digital health has been the cultural contrast between public and private sectors. Having been institutionalised earlier in my career, the private sector once seemed intimidating. I quickly came to recognise its value: pace, innovation and the business edge needed to adapt in a world that is changing faster than ever. Yet parts of the system remain hesitant about private sector ideas or the role of major technology companies. I understand the caution, but I also see opportunity. People already rely on consumer technology every day. Wearables, apps and connected devices have enormous potential to support prevention, one of the key pillars of the NHS 10 Year Plan. Embracing what citizens already use could accelerate progress. My reflections lead me to one overarching question: Is the system culturally ready for the transformation it is striving for? Before we get into data platforms, governance frameworks or digital architecture, we may need to begin with people. Psychological safety. Mindset shifts. Collaboration. Openness to learning from both the public sector and private innovators. The plan speaks to the need for major change, but that change will not be carried by technology alone. It will be carried by people. Despite the complexity and the challenges, these six months have been energising, enjoyable and full of purpose. I feel genuinely fortunate to be working in a space where the mission truly matters. A huge thank you to SmartCo Future Health for an amazing experience so far. I’m excited for what the next chapter brings. 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. About SmartCo Future Health SmartCo Future Health is an award-winning consultancy shaping the future of healthcare. We bring a best-in-class team and future-focused approach; empowering clients, programmes and partners. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all.
Adam Libbey
23 February 2026