4. Mapping Sciensus’ Activity Against the Purpose Goals
3.8 Goal 8: Good Health and Wellbeing
Ensuring that every individual can access high-quality healthcare is foundational to a fair and thriving society. Good health underpins education, employment and participation in community life, yet access to timely and effective care is too often uneven across the UK. Barriers such as distance to hospitals, long waiting lists, complex treatment pathways and challenges navigating the healthcare system can all limit people’s ability to stay well. Addressing these inequalities is essential not only for improving health outcomes but for strengthening social mobility and economic opportunity.
Sciensus plays a crucial role in widening access to healthcare by delivering specialist medicines, clinical support and personalised care directly into people’s homes. This model supports patients with long-term or complex conditions, while easing pressure on the NHS at a time of unprecedented strain.
By shifting care safely into the community and closer to home, Sciensus provides an essential bridge between patients, healthcare professionals and the wider system. For over 30 years, it has helped ensure that receiving high-quality treatment does not depend on geography, mobility or ability to navigate traditional services. Its work is enabling a more resilient, equitable and future-ready NHS - one where good health and wellbeing is within reach for everyone.
Building an NHS for the Future
Sciensus’ connected care model places the organisation at the heart of efforts to build an NHS that is equipped for the challenges ahead. In the 10 Year Health Plan for England, both the UK Government and the NHS have set out a clear ambition to increase the amount of care delivered outside traditional hospital settings, easing pressure on acute services and improving patient experience. Sciensus is already realising this ambition at scale.
As one of the largest providers of out-of-hospital clinical care and virtual wards in the UK, Sciensus has supported patients in their homes for more than three decades. Over 300,000 people each year receive treatment, medication and clinical guidance through its services - care that would otherwise require hospital attendance. By delivering this at scale, Sciensus creates vital capacity within the NHS, enabling hospitals to focus on those who most urgently need specialist or emergency care. At a time when waiting lists remain at record highs following the COVID-19 pandemic, this contribution is crucial.
Sciensus combines a nationwide presence, robust clinical governance and consistently high patient satisfaction. This allows the organisation not only to deliver care reliably but also to provide the NHS with flexible, scalable solutions that support a system under significant operational pressure. By reducing unnecessary hospital visits, improving patient flow and bringing care closer to daily life, Sciensus is helping shape a health service that is more responsive, efficient and sustainable.
Case Study: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUH) partnered with Sciensus to rapidly expand its virtual ward capacity. The Trust sought a partner capable of delivering a safe, effective service at speed, with extensive experience in community-based clinical care. Sciensus’ integrated homecare model, spanning medicine delivery, clinical assessments and in-home nurse visits, aligned directly with NUH’s ambition to reduce reliance on hospital beds and move towards more personalised care.
Across England, virtual wards are becoming a central part of NHS strategy, enabling medically stable patients to complete treatment at home rather than remaining in hospital while awaiting discharge. For NUH, Sciensus’ involvement has strengthened patient flow, reduced bed occupancy and supported the Trust’s progress in cutting its backlog of patients waiting for planned surgery. Clinicians report that this improved capacity has allowed beds to be prioritised for those requiring acute care.
The Sciensus team is integrated within NUH’s multidisciplinary approach, working closely with hospital practitioners to help identify suitable patients, ensure seamless handovers and monitor progression. This close collaboration ensures continuity of care, while still preserving the independence needed for efficient patient discharge.
Patients on the virtual ward benefit from consistent monitoring and swift escalation if their condition changes. If deterioration occurs, Sciensus teams can coordinate rapid reassessment without relying on traditional readmission routes, easing pressure on emergency departments. The model demonstrates the value of strong partnerships between the NHS and independent community providers - partnerships that will be essential as the NHS continues to evolve towards a more community-centred future.
Patient Experience
Delivering exceptional patient experience is a core principle of Sciensus’ work. With 93% of patients reporting satisfaction with services and 95% praising the professionalism of clinical staff, Sciensus is recognised for care that is compassionate, person-centred and reliable. This reflects a belief that homecare is not only about administering treatment but also about empowering people to better understand and manage their own health.
Sciensus teams take time to educate patients and carers on topics such as medication storage, potential side effects and safe handling. This helps individuals build confidence and encourages shared decision-making, enabling patients to take a more active role in their treatment journey.
Results from Sciensus’ most recent Patient Satisfaction Survey highlight the strength of this approach. The organisation recorded an NPS score of 64 - a significant improvement on the previous year’s score of 57 - signalling growing trust and satisfaction among the patients it supports. High ratings were consistent across all service areas:
• Patient services: Over 87% satisfaction
• App communication: 89% satisfaction, demonstrating the value of digital tools when communicating with patients
• Nursing and clinical support: Over 91% satisfaction, reflecting strong clinical expertise and compassionate care
• Delivery services: Over 88% satisfaction, highlighting the reliability of medicine logistics
Patient safety is central to Sciensus’ operations. A dedicated Patient Safety Team works across the organisation to identify risks, implement safeguards and investigate any incidents where safety might have been compromised. This work is reinforced by Sciensus’ ISO 9001-aligned quality framework, internal audits and rigorous compliance checks, meaning that risk management is embedded across Sciensus’ entire service model.
Therapeutic Services
Sciensus delivers services across more than 70 therapy areas, ensuring that individuals with a wide range of health conditions can receive high-quality care in the place that suits them best. Its work spans cancer care, chronic and rare diseases, immunology, dermatology, gastroenterology and many more specialist areas.
1. Cancer Care
Sciensus is the UK’s leading provider of private cancer care at home, supporting around 4,000 cancer patients each year. Its highly trained specialist nurses deliver advanced clinical expertise directly to patient homes, offering safe and effective treatments such as systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT) like chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormone therapy.
Receiving treatment at home allows patients to remain in a familiar environment, reducing stress and travel demands while helping them feel more in control. Sciensus nurses are trained to manage complex clinical procedures, and they conduct regular check-ins to monitor responses, manage side effects and adjust care plans in coordination with hospital teams.
Sciensus provides over 100 cancer therapies, and partnerships with clinicians and private medical insurers ensure that care plans are fully aligned with clinical requirements and patient preferences. This holistic, person-centred model supports patients not only medically but also emotionally, improving comfort and overall wellbeing.
1Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Medicines shortages: Solutions for empty shelves, p25.
2. Chronic Conditions
Every year, Sciensus supports more than 300,000 patients living with long-term conditions, many of which require complex medication regimes or ongoing clinical input. The organisation makes over 104,000 clinical deliveries monthly and provides support across more than 70 therapy areas.
Its workforce includes over 500 specially trained clinicians and more than 120 chemotherapy-qualified nurses who work closely with consultants and hospital teams to ensure services are tailored to patient needs, whether that involves administering treatment, training patients to self-administer, facilitating medication supply or coordinating with NHS specialists to determine ongoing care.
By offering personalised and consistent support, Sciensus helps people manage conditions more effectively while reducing demand on hospital services.
European rare disease survey
To better understand the realities facing people with rare diseases and rare cancers across Europe, Sciensus and Rare Patient Voice conducted a five-country survey of 217 patients and caregivers in Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the UK. The findings showed that 28% of respondents spend more than an hour on a single round trip to collect their medicines and a further 12% report journeys of 2–4 hours or more, representing days lost each year for those on frequent refill schedules. Half of respondents either did not have access to home delivery or did not know it was available, yet among this group 85% said home delivery would have a positive impact on their lives, with almost half describing it as significantly or fundamentally life-changing.
Medicine Supply
Reliable access to medicines is essential for good health, yet many patients face challenges navigating complex supply chains, particularly during periods of national shortage. Clinical homecare providers like Sciensus can play a transformative role in managing supply and alleviating pressure on both patients and primary care.
A survey by Metabolic Support found that 40% of respondents manage at least ten different medicines, each with different storage requirements and supply routes - a burden that is time-consuming, stressful and difficult to manage. Furthermore, a 2024 report by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society highlighted widespread instances of GPs, pharmacists and patients spending significant time sourcing medicines during shortages1
Sciensus is able to step in by sourcing, storing and distributing medicines on behalf of patients, reducing anxiety and ensuring continuity of care. This support not only protects patient wellbeing but also frees up NHS capacity otherwise spent on resolving supply issues.
Case Study: Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT)
Patients with Cystic Fibrosis face ongoing difficulties accessing Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT), alongside other essential medicines such as inhaled therapies. Because PERT is managed primarily in community settings, patients often find themselves visiting multiple pharmacies or making repeated calls in search of stock.
In contrast, anti-infective treatments managed through clinical homecare systems allow providers like Sciensus to handle sourcing, allocation and distribution directly. During shortages, Sciensus can implement stock-sharing approaches, supplying smaller quantities more frequently to ensure all patients receive what they need and no doses are missed.
This approach significantly reduces the administrative burden on patients and families, offering consistency, reassurance and fair distribution. It demonstrates how integrated homecare systems can protect vulnerable communities during supply chain disruptions.
Sciensus also partners with pharmaceutical and biotech companies across Europe to streamline access to specialist medicines2. With six million patients in Europe relying on specialist medicines, bringing new therapies to market requires significant infrastructure and expertise.
With 30 years of experience navigating complex regulatory and healthcare systems, Sciensus provides a platform for medicine commercialisation, distribution and evidence gathering. This accelerates the time it takes for new treatments to reach patients and helps ensure continuity once therapy begins.
These partnerships also contribute directly to the UK economy by attracting investment, supporting biotech growth and strengthening the connection between patients, clinicians and pharmaceutical innovators.
2https://www.sciensus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ Sciensus-Overview-July-2025.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Long-term health conditions can have profound impacts not only on physical health but also on mental wellbeing. Sciensus recognises this risk and, led by forty Level 4 Safeguarding Champions across the business, integrates safeguarding and emotional support throughout its services. All staff, from nurses to those in non-clinical roles such as drivers, are trained to identify signs of distress in patients or family members. They can raise safeguarding concerns and refer individuals to appropriate services, ensuring that no warning sign goes unnoticed.
This proactive approach helps create a system of early identification and intervention, supporting individuals who may otherwise struggle in silence. It also reinforces Sciensus’ commitment to treating patients as whole people, not simply as recipients of medication or clinical procedures. Sciensus also places strong emphasis on the wellbeing of its own workforce. Through its FEEL Wellbeing Strategy, employees have access to
resources and training on mental, physical, social and financial health – including 47 Mental Health First Aiders across the business. Tools such as the Wellness Action Plan (WAP), The Hub intranet, the Employee Assistance Programme ‘Health Assured’ and the WeCare platform ensure colleagues can seek advice and receive practical support when needed.
Internal communications help normalise discussions around wellbeing, including financial challenges and mental health. A wide range of training modules ensures mental health understanding is embedded across the organisation. New joiners also receive dedicated training so that wellbeing remains a cornerstone of Sciensus’ culture from day one.
By supporting employees holistically, Sciensus fosters a resilient workforce equipped to deliver high-quality care to patients across the UK and Europe.
Balancing Work and Parenthood
Goal 1: Strong Foundations in Early Years
The early years of a child’s life play a decisive role in shaping their long-term development, wellbeing and life chances. From emotional security and cognitive development to physical health and social skills, the experiences children have in their earliest years lay the groundwork for future learning, confidence and opportunity. Ensuring that children are supported during this formative period is therefore central to breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving social mobility across the UK.
Parents and carers are fundamental to this process. Their ability to spend time with their children, provide stability and respond to developmental needs has a lasting impact on outcomes in later life. Sciensus recognises this and understands that supporting parents - both within its workforce and among the patients it serves - is essential to giving children the best possible start. Through its employment practices and its homecare delivery model, Sciensus enables parents to remain actively involved in their children’s early lives, even when balancing work responsibilities or managing complex health conditions.
By placing flexibility, compassion and accessibility at the centre of its approach, Sciensus helps ensure that the demands of employment or healthcare do not prevent parents from being present during their children’s most important early years.
Sciensus offers a range of policies designed to support colleagues with children and young families, recognising that early parenthood is a critical time that requires flexibility and understanding. These policies are intended to help employees remain engaged in their children’s lives while continuing to progress in their careers, reducing the pressure many parents face when trying to balance work and family responsibilities.
Enhanced maternity and paternity pay form a key part of this support. By going beyond statutory requirements, Sciensus enables new parents to take time away from work during their child’s earliest months without facing financial insecurity. This allows colleagues to focus on caregiving and adjusting to family life at a pivotal stage in their child’s development.
Flexibility is also embedded across many roles within the organisation. Sciensus supports hybrid working arrangements, adjusted working hours and time off for school events or medical appointments related to children wherever operationally possible. This approach recognises that parenting responsibilities do not fit neatly around traditional working patterns and that flexibility can make a meaningful difference to family life. By actively seeking to accommodate individual requests, Sciensus demonstrates a commitment to supporting parents in ways that reflect their specific circumstances.
Additional support is available for parents whose children have additional needs. Through dependants’ leave, Sciensus ensures that these colleagues can be present when their children require extra care or attention, acknowledging that some families face greater challenges and that enabling parents to provide consistent care is vital to giving every child an equitable start in life.
Strong foundations in Early Years
Empowering Parents
Beyond its role as an employer, Sciensus empowers parents through the way it delivers healthcare. As a provider of clinical care at home, including complex medicines administration and patient training, the organisation enables patients to receive treatment in their own homes rather than in hospital settings. This model can be transformative for parents of young children, particularly those managing longterm or complex health conditions.
Receiving treatment at home significantly reduces the time parents need to spend away from their families. Instead of lengthy hospital stays or repeated outpatient visits, parents can continue their treatment while remaining present in their children’s daily routines. This continuity is especially important during the early years, when consistent care from parents is critical to a child’s development.
Home-based clinical care also reduces disruption to family life, easing the logistical and emotional strain that hospital treatment can place on households with young children. Parents are better able to maintain routines and remain actively engaged in their children’s learning and development, even while undergoing treatment themselves.
Through its homecare model, Sciensus helps ensure that managing illness does not mean stepping away from parenting responsibilities during the most formative years of a child’s life. In doing so, the organisation supports stronger family foundations, contributing to healthier childhood development and helping to break down barriers that can limit opportunity later in life.
Goal 2: Successful School Years
Successful school years are a critical foundation for future opportunity, shaping not only academic attainment but also confidence, social development and long-term life chances. Consistent access to education supports young people to develop skills that influence outcomes well beyond the classroom. When schooling is disrupted, the risk of children falling behind their peers increases, potentially widening existing inequalities and limiting future prospects.
For children living with illness or long-term health conditions, maintaining continuity in education can be particularly challenging. Regular hospital appointments, lengthy treatment regimes and periods of ill health often require time away from school, disrupting learning and social relationships. Through its home healthcare model and its engagement with schools across the UK, Sciensus works to ensure that managing a health condition does not come at the expense of a child’s education or development.
By adapting care around the needs of young patients and working collaboratively with families and education providers, Sciensus helps children to progress during their school years. This approach reflects a broader commitment to breaking down barriers to opportunity and supporting positive outcomes for young people, regardless of health circumstances.
Successful school years 2
Balancing Treatment with Education
Children with chronic or serious health conditions often face complex challenges that affect multiple aspects of their daily lives. Education is frequently one of the areas most impacted, as treatment schedules and hospital admissions can require children to spend significant time away from school. Over time, this disruption can result in gaps in learning, reduced confidence and a sense of separation from classmates, increasing the risk that children may fall behind academically and socially.
Sciensus works to minimise these challenges by placing flexibility and the needs of the child at the centre of its care delivery. Wherever clinically appropriate, the organisation collaborates closely with children and their families to deliver treatment at a time and location that best fits around school life. As a clinical homecare provider, Sciensus is often able to deliver treatment in the child’s home, reducing the need for hospital visits and enabling children to continue attending school with minimal disruption.
This approach supports more consistent engagement with education, helping children to learn alongside their peers rather than missing extended periods of classroom time. Remaining in school not only supports academic progress but also contributes positively to confidence, routine and social development as children are able to maintain friendships and participate fully in school life.
In situations where home treatment is not suitable, Sciensus can also work directly with schools to facilitate treatment on school premises. By coordinating with teaching staff and school leadership teams, the organisation helps ensure that healthcare can be delivered safely while minimising time spent away from lessons.
Sciensus’ commitment to flexibility extends beyond term time. During school holidays, children with long-term conditions are often faced with restrictions that limit their ability to travel or fully enjoy time away from school. With a nationwide presence across the UK, Sciensus can continue to provide treatment wherever families are staying, allowing children to enjoy holidays and experiences that are an important part of their overall development. By enabling children to take meaningful breaks from school without compromising their healthcare, Sciensus recognises that new experiences also contribute to positive educational outcomes.
School Engagement
Sciensus engages with schools across the UK through a broad programme of activity aimed at supporting young people and the education community more widely. A key strand of this engagement focuses on inspiring students to consider careers in healthcare and the sciences. Sciensus delivers careers talks and attends careers fairs, offering young people insight into the wide range of roles that exist within the healthcare sector.
Through this engagement, Sciensus provides a connection between classroom learning and real-world careers, helping students understand how healthcare operates within their local communities. By raising awareness of home healthcare provision, the organisation also broadens perceptions of what a career in healthcare can look like, highlighting opportunities beyond traditional hospitalbased roles.
Sciensus also works in partnership with teachers to support mental health awareness and safeguarding within schools, providing mental health training, including education on mental health first aid, which helps to equip teachers with the knowledge and confidence to recognise early signs of mental health challenges among students. This work aligns closely with Sciensus’ wider safeguarding priorities and its commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals.
For teachers supporting students with longterm health conditions or additional needs, Sciensus offers tailored guidance on how best to support those pupils within the school setting. This collaborative working aims to ensure that health challenges do not translate into educational disadvantage and that every child is supported to reach their potential during their school years.
The transition from adolescence into adulthood represents a pivotal stage in a young person’s life, where decisions around education, employment and independence begin to take shape. Without the right guidance and continuity of support, this period can present significant risks, particularly for those already facing additional challenges related to health or disability.
For young people living with long-term or complex health conditions, the journey into adulthood is often more complex than for their peers. Alongside the pressures of education, training or employment, they must also navigate changes in how their healthcare is delivered and how responsibility for managing their condition is transferred. Sciensus recognises that positive post-16 destinations are not limited to career outcomes alone, but are closely linked to health, confidence, independence and stability. As a healthcare provider with extensive experience supporting patients across the life course, Sciensus is well positioned to help young people build the foundations they need to thrive as adults.
Goal 3: Positive Destinations Post 16+
Positive destinations Post 16+
Transition into Adulthood
Sciensus supports a large cohort of patients with lifelong or long-term conditions that begin in childhood and continue through adolescence into adulthood. For these young people, healthcare is a constant presence throughout their lives, often managed initially by parents or carers, however as they approach adulthood this dynamic changes significantly, requiring a shift not only in clinical provision but also in personal responsibility and self-management.
The transition from paediatric to adult healthcare services is widely recognised as a high-risk period. Once patients turn 18, they may experience a reduction in the level of structured support they receive, alongside changes in clinical teams and treatment pathways. For young people already managing complex conditions, this drop-off can present serious clinical and mental health risks. Disengagement from treatment, difficulties adhering to medication regimes and increased anxiety are all more likely during this stage if transitions are poorly managed.
Sciensus takes this period of change extremely seriously. The organisation has developed comprehensive transition support designed to ensure that young people are fully prepared for adult healthcare and are supported every step of the way. Rather than viewing the transition as a single handover point, Sciensus adopts a gradual and collaborative approach that prioritises continuity and empowerment.
During the transition period, young patients are supported jointly by paediatric and adult nursing teams. This dual involvement enables relationships to be built with adult clinicians before the formal transition takes place, reducing uncertainty and helping young people feel more confident about the change.
A key component of Sciensus’ approach is equipping young patients with the knowledge and confidence to take greater ownership of their health. As responsibility shifts from parents to the individual, Sciensus supports young people to understand their condition, recognise warning signs and manage their treatment and medication independently. This focus on independence is essential not only for health outcomes but also for enabling young people to participate fully in education, training or employment as they move into adulthood.
To underpin this work, Sciensus invests in dedicated training for its healthcare practitioners focused specifically on supporting young people and families through periods of transition. Clinicians are trained to recognise signs of distress, disengagement or vulnerability, allowing early intervention where additional support may be needed.
By providing structured, compassionate and comprehensive support during the transition into adulthood, Sciensus contributes to more positive health and life outcomes for young patients over the long term.
Work Experience
Goal 4: Right Advice and Experiences
Access to the right advice and meaningful experiences plays a critical role in shaping people’s futures. For many individuals, particularly those who are further removed from opportunity due to social, economic or personal circumstances, a lack of exposure to different career pathways can limit aspirations and confidence. Without opportunities to experience and understand the range of options available to them, people may struggle to make informed decisions about education, training or employment.
Providing practical insight into workplaces and professions is therefore an essential step in breaking down barriers to opportunity. Experiences such as work placements, apprenticeships and engagement with further and higher education institutions help individuals to develop realistic expectations and gain the confidence needed to pursue pathways that might otherwise feel inaccessible. Sciensus recognises the importance of this role and is committed to ensuring that advice, guidance and real-world experience are within reach for people at different stages of their lives.
Sciensus offers work experience opportunities that allow individuals to gain first-hand insight into working within the healthcare sector. These placements provide participants with a practical understanding of how a clinical homecare organisation operates, exposing them to a range of roles and functions that support patient care beyond traditional hospital settings.
Work experience at Sciensus is intentionally inclusive and accessible. Opportunities are open to people aged 13 and above, recognising that individuals seek guidance and inspiration at different points in their lives. For younger people considering their post-school options, work experience can play a formative role in shaping career aspirations and helping them understand what working life in healthcare looks like. For others, including those considering a career change later in life, these experiences offer valuable clarity and reassurance before committing to a new pathway.
By enabling people to engage with colleagues across the organisation, Sciensus supports better-informed decision-making and helps ensure that individuals pursue pathways aligned with their interests and strengths. In doing so, Sciensus contributes to widening access to opportunity and demystifying careers that may previously have felt out of reach.
Right advice and experiences 4
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are increasingly recognised as a valuable and credible route into employment, offering an alternative to traditional academic pathways. As awareness grows that university is not the right post-school choice for everyone, apprenticeships provide a practical way for individuals to earn, learn and gain recognised qualifications while building meaningful careers.
Sciensus actively supports this approach by offering apprenticeships that bring people directly into the organisation. This includes opportunities for young people leaving school, enabling them to enter the healthcare sector early and develop skills through structured training alongside experienced colleagues. By recruiting through apprenticeships, Sciensus is able to attract diverse talent and support individuals who may not otherwise have considered a career in healthcare.
Importantly, Sciensus also uses apprenticeships as a tool to invest in its existing workforce. Through the Apprenticeship Levy, the organisation funds apprenticeship programmes for current employees, supporting them to upskill and gain new qualifications to progress within the business. This commitment to lifelong learning ensures that colleagues are able to continue developing throughout their careers, while also strengthening the organisation’s internal capability.
Universities
Sciensus works in close partnership with universities across the UK to support students preparing to enter the healthcare workforce. Through a combination of guest lectures, office visits and student placements, the organisation provides valuable insight into the realities of working within clinical homecare and the wider healthcare system.
Sciensus employees regularly contribute to university teaching by sharing their professional expertise and real-world experience. These lectures help bridge the gap between academic study and practical application, enabling students to better understand how their learning translates into careers. In addition, visits to Sciensus’ offices allow students to see first-hand how the business works to deliver patient-centred care at scale.
Placements offered to students, particularly those studying subjects such as pharmaceuticals and related disciplines, provide immersive experience within a live healthcare environment. These opportunities allow students to develop practical skills, build confidence and gain exposure to potential career pathways within the sector.
Through sustained engagement with universities, Sciensus is contributing to the development of the next generation of healthcare professionals, helping to ensure that future entrants to the workforce are prepared, confident and aware of the diverse opportunities available within healthcare. In doing so, Sciensus plays an active role in breaking down barriers to opportunity and strengthening the future of the UK’s healthcare system.
Sciensus employees regularly contribute to university teaching.
Goal 5: Open Recruitment
Open and inclusive recruitment is essential to ensuring that talent and potential are not limited by background, circumstance or personal characteristics. Fair access to employment plays a critical role in social mobility, enabling individuals to progress based on their skills and experience, rather than facing barriers created by bias or exclusion. Employers therefore have a responsibility to design recruitment processes that are transparent, equitable and accessible to all.
For Sciensus, recruitment is not simply about filling vacancies, but about creating pathways into meaningful employment that reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. As a healthcare organisation operating across the UK, Sciensus understands the importance of addressing unconscious bias and removing structural barriers within hiring practices to ensure that every candidate has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Through a combination of inclusive recruitment practices and continuous monitoring, Sciensus has embedded fairness across its approach to attracting, assessing and hiring new colleagues. These measures demonstrate a clear commitment to open recruitment and to fostering a workplace where opportunity is genuinely accessible.
Fair Recruitment
Fairness is embedded across every stage of recruitment at Sciensus, supported by formal standards, training and data-led insight. The organisation has achieved the National Equality Standard (NES) in recognition of its commitment to creating inclusive attraction and recruitment practices and to the fair treatment of all candidates, regardless of their personal circumstances or background.
Inclusive attraction begins with how roles are advertised. Sciensus uses gender-decoded language in job descriptions to remove unconscious bias and encourage applications from both men and women. By carefully reviewing language and tone, the organisation helps ensure that roles appeal to the widest possible talent pool. This is complemented by advertising vacancies across a diverse range of platforms and locations, increasing visibility among underrepresented groups.
To further reduce bias, Sciensus incorporates blind recruitment techniques into its processes, removing personal identifiers from applications where possible so that candidates can be assessed purely on their skills and experience during early stages, helping to create a level playing field. Interviews are conducted using balanced panels, bringing together a mix of perspectives and reducing the influence of individual bias in decision-making. Colleagues involved in hiring receive dedicated recruitment training so that those responsible for selection decisions are equipped to treat all candidates consistently and objectively.
Sciensus also takes a data-driven approach to improving fairness. The organisation tracks gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic data across the recruitment process to identify patterns and potential barriers faced by particular groups. This insight allows Sciensus to take targeted action where disparities emerge, ensuring continuous improvement in access and outcomes.
Supporting candidates who require additional support is a further priority. Applicants are given the opportunity to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, and Sciensus works proactively to accommodate these needs wherever possible. This commitment is reinforced by Sciensus’ status as a Disability Confident Committed Employer, demonstrating its dedication to removing barriers for candidates with disabilities.
Through these combined measures, Sciensus ensures that open and fair recruitment is not an aspiration but a lived practice, helping to widen access to opportunity and build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
Onboarding
A strong start can shape a colleague’s long-term experience of work. Sciensus therefore places emphasis on onboarding as the first step in building fair career progression, ensuring that new starters are equipped not only to do their job, but also to begin forming a pathway for growth from the outset.
Goal 6: Fair Career Progression
Creating opportunity is not only about helping people to enter work. For individuals to build long-term security and fulfil their potential, they must also be supported to grow once they are in a role. Fair career progression means giving colleagues the confidence and skills they need to move forward - whether that involves developing expertise in their current position, exploring a new pathway or preparing for leadership. It is also closely linked to motivation and retention: when people can see a future for themselves in an organisation, they are more likely to feel valued and committed.
Sciensus recognises that career development is a vital part of social impact. As a healthcare organisation delivering complex services at scale, Sciensus depends on a skilled and engaged workforce, yet it also understands its responsibility as an employer to create conditions where colleagues can thrive. This includes structured support for new starters, clear progression routes and access to development opportunities that are open and equitable. Importantly, Sciensus’ approach is designed to support colleagues across different backgrounds and life circumstances, ensuring that progression is determined by fair access to guidance, training and opportunity.
New colleagues receive thorough training and information to help them understand expectations and feel prepared in their role. This includes e-learning modules tailored to the requirements of specific positions, supporting individuals to build knowledge and to develop confidence early on. By providing consistent access to structured learning, Sciensus helps to reduce the likelihood that employees will feel excluded or left behind during the transition into a new job - particularly those who may be returning to work after time away, changing sector or stepping into a role with new responsibilities.
Sciensus also helps foster connection and belonging during the early stages of employment. A monthly welcome day brings together colleagues who have joined that month, offering an introduction to the organisation, its values and the way teams work together. As well as sharing practical information, this approach helps new starters to feel part of a wider community.
The onboarding process continues beyond the first few weeks. During the first three months, employees participate in monthly reviews that focus on how they are settling into their role and what they need in order to succeed. These conversations enable managers and colleagues to identify development priorities early, agree actions and connect individuals to relevant support, such as targeted training or access to guidance from experienced team members.
Fair career progression 6
Career Progression
Many people have ambitions for their working lives but lack clear information about how to reach the next step. Sciensus addresses this challenge by making progression pathways clear and transparent across the organisation.
Sciensus has developed career pathway frameworks that set out what is needed to move into different roles, including the skills, capabilities and learning required. By giving colleagues visibility of the criteria associated with each step, the organisation supports individuals to take greater ownership of their development and to plan their progression in a structured way. Colleagues can see what progression looks like and tailor their development to the opportunities they are aiming for.
Internal progression and mobility are an important part of Sciensus’ approach to fair opportunity. Vacancies and development opportunities are actively open to existing colleagues alongside external candidates, creating a culture where people are encouraged to grow within the organisation. With more than 30% of vacancies filled internally, Sciensus strengthens retention and signals to colleagues that building a long-term career within Sciensus is both possible and supported.
Sciensus also recognises that career progression is not experienced equally by everyone. Some groups can face additional barriers, particularly when moving into senior or leadership roles, due to structural inequalities or limited representation. Sciensus has therefore strengthened its focus on supporting colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds, with enhancing the diversity of its leaders set out as a clear priority in its EDI strategy to ensure that opportunities to progress are genuinely equal and not shaped by demographic factors.
Two targeted development programmes illustrate this commitment. The Empowering Self programme supports colleagues to define their ambitions and identify the steps needed to achieve them. By encouraging reflection and goal setting, the programme helps individuals to translate their aspirations into practical progression plans, while also enabling Sciensus to identify and nurture emerging talent as part of its wider talent pipeline. Alongside this, the Architecture of Leadership programme is designed for colleagues who are aiming to move into leadership positions, offering coaching and development to build the skills, knowledge and experience needed to take that next step.
Goal 7: Widening Access to Savings and Credit
Across the UK, financial resilience is increasingly shaped by health. When people are forced to reduce hours, take prolonged absence from work or leave employment altogether because of chronic conditions, the knock-on effects can be immediate: household budgets tighten, savings are depleted and worries about money begin to affect day-to-day wellbeing. For many, financial pressure is compounded by the practical costs of managing illness, including travel to appointments, time spent in waiting rooms and the disruption that regular hospital visits can create for both patients and family members who may also take on caring responsibilities.
Sciensus’ clinical homecare model is directly helping to address these challenges by reducing the disruption and cost associated with treatment, while also supporting colleagues with tools and benefits that strengthen financial wellbeing. In doing so, Sciensus contributes to a healthier workforce, more resilient households and a stronger economy.
Keeping Britain Working
Chronic illness is a major contributor to work absence and economic inactivity in the UK. When health conditions worsen or treatment becomes difficult to fit around work, individuals can find themselves stepping back from employment. This can increase reliance on state support and create additional pressure on family finances, particularly where partners or relatives reduce their own working hours to
provide care. Over time, these pressures can also heighten anxiety and reduce wellbeing, creating a cycle in which financial stress and poor health reinforce one another.
Sciensus helps to break that cycle by making it easier for people with complex conditions to continue living and working alongside treatment. The organisation supports patients to access specialist medicines and clinical care in a way that is designed around everyday life, rather than requiring life to be redesigned around care. Where hospital attendance would otherwise involve regular travel, long appointments and time away from work, Sciensus’ home-based clinical services can minimise disruption and help patients maintain routines. For many working-age people, this flexibility can be decisive in enabling them to remain in their role rather than leaving the workplace.
This approach also makes a practical difference to the affordability of staying in work. Frequent appointments can generate significant costs, such as transport and parking charges, while time away from work can reduce earnings, particularly for those in hourly paid roles. By reducing the need for repeated travel and enabling treatment to happen at home, Sciensus’ model can lower these costs, saving patients money as well as time.
The benefits extend beyond individual households. By supporting patients and carers to remain economically active, Sciensus contributes to wider economic resilience, as employers are better able to retain experienced staff and reduce long-term sickness absence. At a national level, enabling people to stay in work also supports efforts to respond to the rising economic costs associated with health-related inactivity. Sciensus is therefore playing a vital role in keeping Britain working by supporting patients to stay well enough to keep earning, contributing and progressing.
Widening access to savings & credit
Financial Wellbeing
Financial worries can shape every aspect of a person’s life. Concerns about bills, debt or unexpected costs often affect mental wellbeing and can make it harder for individuals to feel confident, motivated and productive at work. Sciensus recognises that supporting financial wellbeing is therefore an important part of creating a healthy workplace culture and enabling its employees to thrive.
Alongside competitive pay, Sciensus provides a wide-ranging benefits package designed to strengthen financial security and help employees plan for the future. This includes generous annual leave entitlement, regular pay review processes and a contribution-based pension scheme. Colleagues also have access to private medical provision, supporting peace of mind for individuals and their families. A range of salary sacrifice options, including schemes linked to commuting and transport, can help employees reduce costs, while certain roles also include eligibility for a company car.
Sciensus acknowledges that, even with strong employment benefits, some individuals may face unexpected financial pressure. To support colleagues in exceptional circumstances, a benevolent fund is available to provide one-off financial assistance where needed. Importantly, this support is non-repayable, helping to prevent short-term hardship from escalating into longer-term debt or insecurity.
In addition, Sciensus provides access to practical financial guidance and tools that help colleagues manage their finances proactively. Through the My Pay View Now platform, employees can view and track earnings clearly, supporting better day-to-day planning. Further support is available through money management learning modules, pension workshops and a mortgage advice line, helping colleagues make informed decisions at different stages of life.
Where appropriate, Sciensus also offers options that allow employees to access loans against pay, providing an alternative route to credit that can help individuals manage short-term needs in a more structured way.
Taken together, these measures reflect Sciensus’ commitment to building financial resilience by supporting colleagues to reduce stress, support retention and enable more people to build secure and sustainable futures.
Goal 9: Extending Enterprise
Sustainable opportunity depends on how far local people and organisations are able to create and grow their own routes to employment and prosperity. When supply chains, community partnerships and local charities are strengthened, the benefits extend beyond an organisation’s immediate operations: new networks are built, local capability is supported and communities are better placed to thrive.
For Sciensus, this means recognising the role a national healthcare provider can play in the places it serves. Alongside delivering essential clinical homecare, Sciensus aims to work with local businesses and third sector organisations in a way that strengthens communities, supports growth and reflects its wider social impact priorities. Through responsible procurement and longterm charity partnerships, Sciensus is extending enterprise by embedding social value into the relationships that surround its work across the UK.
Extending enterprise
Supply Chain
Sciensus works with a broad network of suppliers and places strong value on the relationships it holds across this supply chain. Through its work with a diverse range of suppliers, including smaller organisations and minority-owned businesses, Sciensus is able to contribute to the growth of enterprises that are embedded in the communities where patients live and where its services operate.
Sciensus has set a clear commitment to ensure that 1% of its total indirect spend is with small businesses owned by individuals from underrepresented groups. This target signals an intention to go beyond transactional supplier relationships and to use purchasing power to widen access to opportunity. Supporting such businesses can help create jobs, build local economic capacity and promote entrepreneurship in areas where establishing new enterprises may be less common.
This approach sits alongside a wider focus on sustainable procurement. Sciensus is embedding sustainability into its commercial practices through ethical sourcing, responsible operations and careful oversight of suppliers. This includes ensuring that the businesses it works with reflect and align with Sciensus’ values, recognising that supply chains can present risks where ethical standards are not consistently upheld.
As part of this commitment, Sciensus verifies documentation for high-risk suppliers to ensure compliance with expectations around ethical conduct and human rights. This strengthens the organisation’s ability to reinforce its broader corporate responsibility agenda. It also provides reassurance to stakeholders that Sciensus’ impact priorities extend beyond patient care and into the wider systems and partnerships that support its work.
Supporting Charities
Sciensus extends its social impact through the partnerships it builds with charities and third sector organisations. Recognising the value of sustained community engagement, the organisation supports three company-wide charity partners and encourages colleagues to contribute directly through fundraising and volunteering. Employees are provided with paid volunteering days, enabling them to offer time and skills to causes that align with Sciensus’ values and priorities.
For the next three years, Sciensus’ chosen charity partners are Mind, Metabolic Support and the Woodland Trust. These organisations reflect the three pillars that shape Sciensus’ charitable approach: People, Patients and Planet. By linking each charity partnership to one of these pillars, Sciensus ensures that its community activity is purposeful and connected to the areas where it can make the most meaningful difference.
Rather than viewing charitable support as a shortterm initiative, Sciensus’ charity plan is designed to build long-term relationships with organisations that matter to its workforce. Through fundraising activity and volunteering, employees contribute to causes that support mental health, strengthen support for individuals living with rare and complex conditions and protect the natural environment.
Through these partnerships, Sciensus aims to generate positive impact within the communities it serves and to give back in ways that reflect the organisation’s wider mission.
Goal 10: Closing the Digital and AI Divide
Advances in technology are playing a growing role in transforming how healthcare is delivered. Digital tools and new approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI), have the potential to make services more responsive, improve access to specialist support and reduce inefficiencies across the system. For patients managing longterm conditions, this shift can create meaningful benefits, from quicker communication to better self-management and greater control over treatment.
However, the rapid expansion of digital healthcare can also risk creating new barriers. People without reliable access to devices, connectivity or digital skills can find it harder to engage with services and may feel excluded from support that is increasingly delivered online. In a healthcare context, this exclusion can have serious consequences, limiting a person’s ability to access advice or understand treatment instructions.
Sciensus is actively working to strike a balance between innovation and inclusion. While the organisation is ambitious in how it uses technology to improve efficiency and patient outcomes, it also recognises the importance of maintaining human contact and ensuring that no one is left behind as healthcare becomes more digital.
Digital Innovation
Sciensus uses digital innovation and infrastructure to help break down healthcare inequalities and widen access to advice and support. The organisation continually reviews how technology can be applied to make care more accessible, with a focus on pushing boundaries while keeping patient needs at the centre of design and delivery. As part of this approach, Sciensus is embracing the potential of AI, with governance in place to explore
how AI can support healthcare delivery while ensuring that its use remains ethical, appropriately regulated and aligned with patient trust.
A key example of this ambition is Sciensus’ Intouch patient app, which is designed to enhance the experience of managing treatment at home. The app supports patients to take greater control over their medicines and care routines, providing tools that make day-to-day treatment easier to navigate. This includes practical functions such as helping patients manage deliveries, receive reminders and access guidance on how to administer medications safely. By supporting people to organise and understand their treatment more clearly, the app can help reduce anxiety and improve confidence, particularly for those managing complex medication routines.
Importantly, Sciensus’ digital tools are not designed in isolation. The organisation develops the app in response to patient needs and feedback, recognising that technology is only effective when it works for the people using it. Patient involvement is embedded throughout the development process, including through engagement groups and workshops where patients can propose improvements and identify features that would better support them. Patients are also given opportunities to test and trial new functionality before it is formally introduced, helping ensure that updates are practical, accessible and reliable in real-world settings.
For patients who experience difficulties navigating the app, support is available through a specialist team who can provide one-to-one assistance. This ensures that technology remains a pathway into care, rather than becoming another obstacle to overcome.
The Sciensus Connect portal was designed in partnership with NHS teams to improve operational and administrative efficiency, saving time and effort when it’s used. Combining patient records, e-prescription upload, appointment tracking and communication tools all together in one convenient system, it gives clinical teams real-time visibility of their patients’ care.
Closing the digital divide 10
Supporting Employees
Sciensus uses digital tools to support colleagues to perform their roles effectively, recognising that modern healthcare delivery depends on a workforce that is confident using new platforms.
Technology also supports flexibility across parts of the organisation, enabling some employees to work in hybrid or more adaptable ways. To ensure that access to technology is consistent across the workforce, colleagues are provided with the devices they need to do their jobs, and options are available for employees who wish to use their own devices. In addition, a salary sacrifice scheme for technology purchases helps colleagues to access equipment they may want for home working or personal use. These measures help reduce the risk of an internal digital divide, where access to devices or up-to-date tools could otherwise vary according to personal circumstance.
Sciensus is beginning to embed AI-enabled tools into day-to-day working practices to support efficiency and enable colleagues to focus time on higher-value tasks. For example, tools such as Microsoft Copilot are helping teams to integrate AI into routine workflows, providing practical support while maintaining appropriate safeguards. Sciensus is also piloting CareTranscribe, using secure AIenabled transcription to streamline clinical documentation and multidisciplinary meeting notes. By reducing the time clinicians spend on administrative tasks, the pilot aims to release more time for direct patient care, particularly for those with complex needs who benefit most from longer, more personalised interactions. Recognising the importance of responsible use, Sciensus provides training through an e-learning course to ensure that colleagues understand how to use AI tools in a safe, lawful and controlled way. This approach ensures that employees have the confidence to engage with new technology while maintaining high standards of accountability.
Digital Literacy
As digital services become more common, there remains a significant risk that some people will be excluded due to limited access to devices, low confidence using technology or a lack of digital literacy. This can deepen isolation and create barriers to essential services, including healthcare.
Sciensus addresses this challenge by ensuring that patient communication is flexible and tailored to individual preference. Rather than assuming a single digital route will work for everyone, the organisation offers a range of ways for patients to stay in contact, including telephone support, email and online contact options. This ensures that individuals can engage with Sciensus in the way that best fits their needs and capabilities.
Crucially, Sciensus is committed to maintaining the option of human contact. As healthcare evolves, the organisation recognises that the ability to speak to someone directly remains essential for many patients. By preserving these routes, Sciensus helps ensure that digital innovation strengthens access to care rather than narrowing it.
Goal 11: Infrastructure for Opportunity
Too often, people’s lives are shaped by the opportunities available on their doorstep. Across the UK, uneven access to transport, healthcare services and employment can reinforce regional inequalities, limiting individuals’ ability to live well, stay healthy and access good work. Where infrastructure is weak or unevenly distributed, people can face barriers that have little to do with their talent or ambition and everything to do with where they live.
Sciensus is helping to address these challenges by rethinking how essential healthcare infrastructure can be delivered. Through its nationwide clinical homecare model and its approach to flexible employment, Sciensus is creating systems that extend opportunity beyond geography.
Equitable Healthcare
Access to high-quality healthcare is a cornerstone of opportunity. When healthcare services are difficult to reach, people may delay treatment, experience poorer outcomes or struggle to manage long-term conditions alongside work and family life. These challenges are often greatest in areas with limited transport infrastructure or fewer specialist services, contributing to regional health inequalities that can persist over time.
Sciensus’ clinical homecare model represents a new form of health infrastructure that helps to overcome these barriers. With a presence across the UK, the organisation delivers care consistently nationwide, ensuring that patients receive the same standard of service regardless of where they live. Rather than requiring patients to travel to hospitals or clinics, Sciensus brings medicines and clinical expertise directly into people’s homes.
This approach is particularly important for individuals living in rural or underserved areas, where travel to healthcare facilities can be timeconsuming and costly. By meeting patients where they are, Sciensus reduces reliance on local transport links and removes the need for frequent journeys to appointments. Care is designed around the individual, with treatment schedules and clinical support tailored to each patient’s circumstances, enabling people to manage their health in a way that fits around daily life.
In doing so, Sciensus is helping to reshape how healthcare infrastructure functions. Rather than being fixed in specific locations, care becomes mobile and flexible. This alternative model supports more equitable health outcomes by ensuring that geography is not a barrier to accessing specialist treatment and support. Sciensus is consequently contributing to a fairer healthcare system and helping to narrow regional disparities in access and outcomes.
Hybrid Working
Opportunity is shaped not only by access to services, but also by access to employment. In many parts of the UK, limited local job markets and poor transport connectivity can restrict people’s ability to find work that matches their skills or ambitions.
Wherever possible, Sciensus supports colleagues to work flexibly, underpinned by the technology infrastructure needed to enable hybrid working.
By investing in digital systems that allow employees to work effectively from home or across locations, the organisation enables people to consider roles beyond their immediate postcode. This flexibility is particularly valuable for those living further away from major employment centres, as well as for individuals balancing work with caring responsibilities or family commitments.
Hybrid working also helps to create a more inclusive workforce by reducing the need for long or costly commutes. For many colleagues, the ability to work remotely removes practical barriers that might otherwise prevent them from accessing or sustaining employment.
Alongside digital infrastructure, Sciensus also invests in practical transport solutions for its healthcare workforce. Nurses and other clinical colleagues are provided with vehicles to support travel as part of their role, ensuring they can reach patients wherever they are based. These vehicles play a dual role in extending opportunity. For employees, they reduce anxiety around commuting and enable participation in work regardless of local transport provision. For patients, they ensure that clinical care can reach communities that might otherwise be harder to serve. Together, these measures illustrate how Sciensus uses infrastructure - both digital and physical - to connect people with work and healthcare beyond the limitations of geography.
Goal 12: Place: Building Sustainable Communities
Where people live should not determine the quality of services they can access or the opportunities available to them. When essential support such as healthcare, education, housing and advice is unevenly distributed, regional inequalities deepen and individuals in some areas are left further from the routes that help them to thrive. Building sustainable communities therefore means ensuring that vital services are present and reachable at a local level, so that people can live well and participate fully in community life wherever they are based.
Sciensus’ social impact is closely tied to this place-based agenda. As a nationwide clinical homecare provider, Sciensus operates across the entire UK, bringing clinical support and wellbeing advice directly into local communities. Sciensus delivers care consistently across regions and so supports more equitable access to high-quality healthcare, helping to ensure that people can receive treatment and guidance close to home, regardless of geography.
Sciensus’ contribution to sustainable communities is therefore not limited to individual patient outcomes. By supporting local healthcare systems, strengthening community-based capacity and helping patients transition safely from hospital back to home, the organisation plays a practical role in enabling places to function better for the people who live there.
Enhancing Community Services
Alongside delivering person-centred treatment in people’s homes, Sciensus works with NHS Trusts across the UK to strengthen how healthcare is delivered within communities. This partnership approach supports the wider ambition of shifting care closer to where people live, while increasing the capacity and efficiency of local services.
In many areas, Sciensus teams operate directly alongside existing NHS provision, including maintaining a presence within local hospitals. This embedded support helps to expand the volume of care that can be delivered, particularly where hospitals are under operational pressure and need additional resources. Sciensus helps local systems to deliver more and to do so in a way that maintains quality and continuity for patients.
A further way Sciensus supports community sustainability is through its role in enabling smoother discharge from hospital back into home-based care. Transitions from hospital to home can be a vulnerable point in a patient’s pathway, particularly for those living with complex or long-term conditions. Without the right support, patients may face disruptions to treatment or the risk of readmission. Sciensus works hand-in-hand with NHS teams to reduce these risks by providing structured, tailored care once patients return home.
This approach helps patients feel supported and enables care to continue seamlessly beyond the hospital setting. At the same time, it supports the NHS by freeing up hospital capacity for those who most require acute care. In this way, Sciensus contributes to stronger, more resilient local health systems that can respond effectively to need and deliver care closer to where it has the greatest impact - within the community.
Building homes & sustainable communities
Goal 13: Harness the Energy Transition
The transition to a net-zero Britain is not only an environmental imperative, but also an opportunity to strengthen resilience across the healthcare system. For organisations delivering essential services at national scale, the way energy is used and emissions are managed has direct implications for long-term sustainability and public trust.
For Sciensus, environmental responsibility sits alongside patient care as a core part of running their business. The organisation recognises that it has a duty to reduce its environmental footprint wherever possible, while promoting practices that support sustainable development and protect the planet for future generations. Environment-related objectives are embedded into decision-making, with progress tracked and monitored continually to ensure that commitments translate into action.
Carbon Reduction
Sciensus has established a clear environmental strategy through its Carbon Reduction Plan 2025. This five-year strategy is designed to align with NHS expectations and provides a structured programme for cutting emissions across the organisation. Sciensus has committed to reaching net zero for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 2040, while also aiming to achieve net zero for scope 3 emissions by 2045. Importantly, these targets reflect a willingness to be held accountable through transparent measurement.
To underpin this work, Sciensus measures scope 1 and scope 2 emissions in line with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol and measures a defined subset of scope 3 emissions in line with the corporate value chain scope 3 standard. This ensures that reporting is consistent with recognised frameworks and that progress can be monitored over time.
A significant milestone in strengthening this approach has been the achievement of ISO 14001 accreditation. This accreditation provides a recognised environmental management framework, supporting Sciensus to manage its impact across its operations. Through ISO 14001, Sciensus is better positioned to set objectives and implement practical controls that reduce waste, conserve resources and cut emissions. As well as benefiting the environment, this structured approach supports operational efficiency by encouraging continuous review of how energy and materials are used across the business.
Harness the energy transition 13
Sustainability
Sciensus’ commitment to sustainability is reflected in a broad range of initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across its daily operations. This includes work towards recognised sector frameworks, such as progressing to Level 2 within the Greener Pharmacy Toolkit, alongside a wider programme of carbon reduction projects spanning fleet electrification, energy efficiency and responsible sourcing.
Transport and logistics are a particularly important focus for Sciensus because homecare delivery depends on a reliable fleet. Sciensus is working to minimise their impact through route optimisation, responsible fuel use and strict compliance with Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) and Clean Air Zones (CAZ) in urban areas. A practical example of this approach is the replacement of many vans with lower CO2emission models, generating an annual reduction of 487 tonnes of CO2 across the fleet. Looking ahead, Sciensus expects that by September 2027 its cohort of newer vans will have reduced emissions by almost 2,000 tonnes compared with the previous diesel-powered models.
Sciensus is also taking steps to accelerate the move towards electric vehicles (EVs). In 2023, the organisation introduced an electric car salary sacrifice scheme, enabling eligible colleagues to choose from a range of EVs. This supports lowercarbon commuting and reduces emissions linked to business travel, particularly for teams such as nursing colleagues who travel regularly as part of their roles. Sciensus has set an ambitious objective to transition its entire fleet of vans and cars to 100% EV over the next decade, with a planned annual conversion of around 10% of the fleet –where future technology allows.
Sustainability is also being driven beyond Sciensus’ immediate operations through supplier
engagement. Sciensus works with suppliers to encourage and support their own progress towards net zero goals. This approach helps extend Sciensus’ environmental ambition into the partners and services that support its work.
Alongside carbon reduction, Sciensus is taking significant action on waste and resource efficiency. Through a strong focus on waste reduction and recycling, the organisation has diverted around 99% of its waste from landfill. It has also introduced measures to reduce paper use across operations, saving 1.3 million sheets of A4 paper. In packaging, Sciensus has begun switching from plastic bubble wrap to paper-based alternatives, reducing reliance on single-use plastics and supporting the move towards recyclable or compostable materials. Sciensus is also investing in renewable energy projects to help offset the environmental footprint linked to clinical waste incineration.
Sciensus recognises that environmental progress depends on shared responsibility across the organisation. Open and transparent communication is therefore encouraged so that colleagues understand both the organisation’s commitments and the role individuals can play in delivering them, building a culture where sustainability becomes part of everyday decision-making.
Finally, Sciensus’ model of delivering care closer to home can also contribute to lower emissions beyond its own operations. By enabling patients to receive treatment and clinical support at home, Sciensus can reduce the need for frequent travel to appointments, including long-distance journeys that would otherwise be necessary for specialist services. In this way, home-based clinical care not only improves access and convenience for patients, but can also support a broader reduction in transport-related emissions linked to healthcare delivery.
Goal 14: Opportunity for All: Everyone Everywhere
Ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive is central to building a fairer society and unlocking the UK’s full potential. Yet too often, people from underrepresented groups face barriers that limit access to work, progression and vital services. These barriers can be structurallinked to discrimination, disability, language, health or caring responsibilities - or they can be cultural, shaped by whether individuals feel seen, supported and able to speak up.
For Sciensus, opportunity is shaped both by the workplace experience of colleagues and by the ability of patients to access and understand healthcare. As a provider of clinical homecare services, Sciensus’ commitment to opportunity therefore has a dual focus: creating an inclusive environment where colleagues can succeed and ensuring that patients can engage confidently with treatment and care, regardless of background or circumstance.
Equal Opportunities
Sciensus is committed to supporting all colleagues to succeed and to ensuring that opportunities in the workplace are accessible and equitable. This is reflected in its approach to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), which places strong emphasis on attracting and retaining diverse talent, as well as strengthening representation across leadership.
By focusing on diversity at all levels, Sciensus recognises the value of different perspectives and lived experiences in improving decision-making, culture and outcomes for colleagues and patients. A key part of this commitment is the organisation’s
use of measurement. Sciensus monitors data relating to socioeconomic background, gender and ethnicity to help identify where specific groups may face persistent barriers. This evidence-led approach enables targeted action, helping ensure that inclusivity is embedded in practice.
Sciensus’ progress in this area has been strengthened through external recognition, including the achievement of National Equality Standard accreditation. Alongside this, inclusivity and diversity training is available to all colleagues, reinforcing a shared understanding of expectations and behaviours across the business. Importantly, training can be translated into employees’ native languages, supporting accessibility and ensuring that communication does not become a barrier to development.
Sciensus also takes specific action to support groups who may face additional challenges in the workplace. As a Disability Confident Employer, it is committed to creating an environment where colleagues with disabilities can access roles, reasonable adjustments and development opportunities. In addition, Sciensus has introduced comprehensive support relating to menopause, recognising the impact this life stage can have on women’s working lives and the risk that lack of understanding can drive talented colleagues out of employment. Mandatory menopause training helps build awareness across the organisation and supports a culture where colleagues feel better understood and supported.
Beyond its workforce, Sciensus extends its commitment to equal opportunity into patient care. Recognising that language and communication barriers can affect health outcomes, Sciensus provides translation and interpretation services so that patients can fully understand their condition, treatment and choices. This helps ensure that accessing safe, informed healthcare is not dependent on fluency in English and supports more equitable engagement with care.
Celebrating Diversity
Sciensus works to foster a welcoming culture across its workplaces, understanding that inclusion is strengthened when people feel respected, valued and able to bring their whole selves to work. Celebrating diversity is an important part of this culture, helping to build understanding and visibility across different backgrounds and identities.
Throughout the year, Sciensus marks key celebration and awareness moments that recognise the experiences of different communities. Events linked to occasions such as Black History Month and International Women’s Day help to foster discussion and learning. These are often supported by roundtables, guest speakers and internal communications, alongside content such as podcasts and articles that explore themes of representation and inclusion.
Sciensus also encourages peer-to-peer recognition of cultural and religious events. Colleagues can share e-cards to acknowledge celebrations and important dates, helping to increase awareness and strengthen a sense of community across teams.
Employee Voice
Sciensus places value on employee voice and understands that meaningful inclusion depends on colleagues being able to share ideas, raise concerns and influence change. To support this, the organisation has established multiple channels that enable feedback and dialogue across the business.
The People’s Forum acts as a dedicated employee voice group, giving colleagues a route to contribute suggestions and raise issues with confidence that they will be heard. Alongside this, Sciensus has forums dedicated to wellbeing and inclusiontwo areas that are central to enabling people to thrive at work. These forums provide structured opportunities to reflect on what colleagues need to feel supported and help ensure that the organisation’s approach to wellbeing and inclusivity remains grounded in real workplace experience.
Sciensus also runs a regular employee survey, Be Heard, which provides a further mechanism for colleagues to raise ideas, share feedback and highlight challenges. This helps the organisation track engagement and identify issues early, while reinforcing that employee input is valued as part of continuous improvement.
Looking ahead, Sciensus plans to introduce Freedom to Speak Up Champions, building on existing mechanisms and strengthening the culture of openness across the business. This additional support is intended to further embed psychological safety and ensure that every colleague, regardless of role, seniority or background, can feel confident that their voice matters.
15 Working in Partnership
Goal 15: Working in Partnership
Partnership working is central to how services are designed, improved and delivered. Sciensus recognises that meaningful collaboration across the healthcare system- particularly with patient advocacy groups- is essential to ensuring services reflect the realities of patients’ lives.
Patient advocacy groups play a critical role in shaping how care is experienced beyond the hospital setting. They hear directly from patients and families navigating complex pathways, and they often see emerging themes before they surface elsewhere in the system. Sciensus works proactively with 14 patient advocacy organisations across the UK to ensure that this insight informs how clinical homecare services evolve.
Engagement is structured and ongoing. Quarterly touchpoints create a forum to discuss Sciensus’ innovation and improvements to service, helpline themes, delivery queries, digital access and service experience. Where appropriate and with consent, individual concerns can be escalated directly for resolution. This ensures patients are not left navigating between organisations and that issues are addressed quickly and transparently.
Feedback from advocacy partners has informed practical improvements, from clarifying patientfacing materials to influencing digital development priorities. It has also strengthened how Sciensus communicates changes, gathers survey insight and explains the safeguards underpinning homecare delivery.
The approach is collaborative rather than transactional. Advocacy groups are treated as partners in service design, not simply external stakeholders. By listening consistently and acting on insight, Sciensus ensures that home-based clinical care remains aligned with lived experience, supporting safer treatment continuity and reinforcing trust as the NHS continues to shift care closer to home.
Case Study: Opening Doors to Patient Advocacy Groups
In 2025, six advocacy organisations attended open days at Sciensus’ facilities, with further visits scheduled for 2026. Attendees, including helpline teams, Chief Executives and policy leads, follow the full patient journey: from patient referral, registration and patient services, through clinical scheduling and pharmacy governance, to logistics, warehouse operations and final delivery. The visits conclude with a guided dispensary and tour of the aseptic compounding unit, bringing operational complexity and patient safety safeguards to life.
For advocacy groups, seeing the end-to-end pathway provides greater clarity on how medicines move safely from hospital prescription to home. For Sciensus, the visits reinforce transparency and accountability, while strengthening relationships grounded in trust.
As NHS services increasingly rely on communitybased care, this open partnership model ensures clinical homecare evolves in step with patient need and system priorities.
Case Study: Bringing the “Patient Behind the Therapy” into Clinical Homecare
Delivering specialist medicines at home demands operational precision. It also requires understanding of what is at stake when treatment is delayed or disrupted. To strengthen this connection, Sciensus is partnering with Metabolic Support to co-develop a series of “Patient Behind the Therapy” films for internal training.
Working together, the charity has identified patients living with complex inherited metabolic conditions who are willing to share their lived experience. The films will explore the daily realities of treatment, the vulnerability associated with missed doses and the wider impact on families and quality of life.
These stories will be embedded into staff education across patient services, pharmacy and logistics teams. The objective is to ensure operational decisions remain closely connected to patient outcomes.
By integrating the patient voice directly into workforce development, Sciensus reinforces a culture of care that underpins safe, reliable clinical homecare and supports the NHS shift toward treatment closer to home.
5. Place-based data assessment
Place-based data assessment
At the heart of our work is a commitment to understanding the unique challenges faced by communities. To achieve this, we use the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) as the foundation for our place-based data assessments.
The IMD provides a comprehensive and reliable measure of deprivation, helping us identify areas where barriers to opportunity are most pronounced.
By analysing the data across the IMDs seven domains, we gain valuable insights into the factors affecting income, employment, education, health, housing, and more.
This data-driven approach ensures that our strategies are focused, equitable, and impactful, enabling us to address deprivation effectively and support communities where it’s needed most.
Understanding the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)
The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) are a set of measures used to understand deprivation in local communities. They help identify areas where people face challenges like low income, poor health, or limited access to education and services.
The IMD is made up of seven ‘domains’, or areas of life, that affect people’s well-being. It is a tool used by governments, charities, and other organisations to decide where to focus their help.
What do the IMDs measure?
The IMD looks at seven key domains, each showing a different kind of deprivation. Here’s what they measure and examples of challenges in each area:
1. Income: measures the number of people with very low incomes, including those who struggle to pay for basics like food and housing. Purpose Goal Alignment:
2. Employment: measures how many people of working age are out of work due to unemployment, health problems, or other reasons they can’t control. Purpose Goal Alignment:
3. Education, skills and training: focuses on low school results, limited qualifications, and a lack of learning or training opportunities for adults. Purpose Goal Alignment:
4. Health deprivation and disability: checks how poor physical and mental health, or a higher chance of dying early, affects people’s lives in an area. Purpose Goal Alignment:
5. Crime: measures how often people and property are affected by crime like violence, theft, or vandalism in the community. Purpose Goal Alignment:
6. Barriers to housing and services: looks at how hard it is for people to afford housing or access important services like shops, schools, or doctors. Purpose Goal Alignment:
7. Living environment: assesses the quality of homes and the local area, including housing conditions, air quality, and road safety. Purpose Goal Alignment:
There is also an ‘overall’ measure, which combines the information from all seven domains to give a complete picture of how deprived an area is compared to others. This broadly aligns with Purpose Goal:
Conclusion
The IMD is a powerful tool for understanding and tackling deprivation. By focusing on the areas that need help the most, organisations can make a real difference. Whether it’s helping children succeed in school, improving housing, or supporting mental health, small actions can lead to big changes in the lives of people facing deprivation.
We define communities as meaning Lower Super Output Areas, a type of statistical geography comprising between 400 and 1,200 households that usually have a resident population of between 1,000 and 3,000 persons.
1. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
3. South Yorkshire
5. West Yorkshire
4. Humber and North Yorkshire
6. North West London
Find a map below illustrating the Purpose Coalition barrier to opportunity assessment across the Sciensus footprint.
6. Recommendations
Sciensus’ contribution to widening access to specialist healthcare, strengthening NHS capacity and supporting patients, colleagues and communities is substantial. The organisation’s connected care model demonstrates how delivering treatment closer to home can reduce pressure on acute services while improving patient experience and outcomes while supporting access to wider life opportunities.
As Sciensus continues to grow across the UK and Europe, there is an opportunity to build on this strong foundation through targeted action that deepens its leadership in easing access constraints, workforce capability, digital inclusion and place-based partnership. The following recommendations outline areas where Sciensus could further enhance its social impact and extend the reach of its purpose-led model.
Deepening Place-Based Health Access Equity
The place-based data assessment presented in this report highlights significant variation in deprivation across Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), particularly in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, where more than one third of residents live within the most deprived 30% of communities nationally. These areas show especially high levels of health deprivation, employment exclusion and education-related disadvantage.
Sciensus is already delivering essential care in these regions. Building on this, the organisation could further strengthen its contribution to reducing health inequalities through more explicitly targeted, place-based strategies. Working alongside ICBs, local authorities, neighbourhood health teams and NHS Trusts, Sciensus could:
• Prioritise the expansion of discharge-to-assess models in areas with the highest levels of health deprivation and economic inactivity.
• Use IMD data to inform resource allocation, ensuring clinical capacity aligns with communities experiencing the greatest barriers to health and employment.
• Develop targeted engagement plans in high-deprivation neighbourhoods and areas where waiting lists are long, including collaboration with local community organisations to improve awareness and trust in home-based care
By embedding deprivation data into strategic planning, Sciensus can further position connected care not only as a clinical solution, but as a lever for reducing regional inequalities and supporting economic participation.
Expanding Preventative and Early-Intervention Models
Sciensus’ work in virtual wards, medicine supply and chronic disease management demonstrates strong alignment with NHS ambitions to shift care from hospital to community. The next stage of this evolution could involve greater emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Prevention not only includes prevention in developing long-term conditions, but also includes the stabilisation of and prevention of health deterioration and disease flares, which would otherwise lead to increased levels of Emergency Department attendance and hospital admissions.
Working in partnership with NHS teams and pharmaceutical partners, Sciensus could explore the introduction of proactive identification and support for patients at risk of non-adherence, particularly in communities experiencing income or employment deprivation, as well as expanded education and self-management support programmes that build long-term patient confidence and reduce avoidable escalation.
In areas such as South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, where health deprivation and disability are among the highest nationally, preventative models could play a particularly transformative role in reducing emergency admissions and long-term economic inactivity.
Digital Inclusion by Design
Digital inclusion should be treated as a core design requirement of at home care, not an optional add-on. As more care shifts into the home, digital tools can improve safety, convenience and selfmanagement, but only if patients can access them reliably and confidently. Sciensus and partners should adopt an inclusion-by-default approach, so patients are never excluded from treatment or follow-up because of connectivity, affordability, language, disability or low digital confidence. Pathways should therefore work as well through telephone and in-person support as they do via apps and portals, with digital exclusion risk identified at referral and onboarding. Where remote monitoring is used, alternatives must be available (telephone check-ins or community touchpoints) with escalation routes that do not depend on digital engagement.
Digital inclusion also relates to the NHS where digital maturity can be lacking.
Sciensus supports NHS capacity with innovative digital tools and features that reduce the administrative burden on the NHS. Sciensus already collaborates extensively with NHS partners, but these partnerships could be expanded to include full EPS roll-out, e-commerce and other digital tools that increase NHS capacity.
Strengthening Workforce Pathways
Sciensus demonstrates a strong commitment to fair recruitment, inclusive progression and professional development. As demand for home-based clinical care increases, there is an opportunity to deepen workforce capability and leadership capacity.
The organisation could expand their formalised clinical leadership pathway to support nurses and pharmacists who wish to move into strategic, service design or system level roles, along with additional apprenticeship routes in regions with high employment deprivation, aligning recruitment with local labour market need. This work could be further expanded by publishing transparent progression data, including representation across leadership levels, to reinforce accountability and inclusion.
Targeted workforce pipelines in areas such as Bolton and Featherstone, where employment deprivation remains high, would not only support Sciensus’ growth but also contribute directly to local economic opportunity. By continuing to invest in leadership development and widening access to clinical careers, Sciensus can strengthen both its internal resilience and its social impact as an employer.
In conclusion:
Taken together, these recommendations reinforce a central conclusion of this report: connected care is not a peripheral service model but core national infrastructure for the next decade of NHS reform. The clinical governance, digital capability and operational footprint are already established. The opportunity now is deliberate scale and deeper system integration.
The next phase of NHS reform will not be delivered through policy intent alone. It will depend on how effectively existing infrastructure is integrated and scaled. NHS decision makers and policymakers should treat connected care as part of the national delivery architecture for prevention, productivity and inequality reduction. This means embedding home-based specialist services within ICB planning cycles, virtual ward strategies, discharge pathways and workforce pipelines. The opportunity is not to pilot further, but to mainstream what is already proven.
By aligning commissioning frameworks, data sharing and workforce planning with the ambition to deliver more care closer to home, the system can convert capability into sustained impact. In doing so, connected care becomes not simply a response to capacity pressure, but a forward-looking engine of reform that strengthens resilience across communities, systems and the wider economy.
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