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Delivering Complex Programmes

In today’s interconnected world, digital transformation and ERPs are not just buzzwords; they are strategic imperatives for organisations across all industries. The rapid pace of technological advancements, like AI, coupled with shifting customer expectations and cost pressures, has elevated digital transformation to the top of the agenda. Despite the widespread adoption of ERP and Enterprise Applications, many organisations still struggle to unlock their full potential, with many transformations documented as failures. At SmartCo, we help organisations navigate the complexities of their ERP journeys and digital transformation initiatives, driving sustainable growth, change, and innovation. Navigating Uncertainty: Why ERP is Essential for Future-Proofing Organisations In an era marked by disruption and uncertainty—from Brexit and Covid-19 to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East—adaptability is crucial for organisations. While it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement around Generative AI, ERP and application transformation represents a way to fundamentally shift how businesses operate, engage with customers, and create value. From streamlining operations and optimising processes to enabling new business models and revenue streams, ERP systems like Dynamics 365 and IFS can revolutionise every aspect of an organisation. Realising this potential requires more than just deploying new technologies; it demands a fundamental change in mindset, culture, and organisational behaviour. By proactively embracing change and investing in ERP capabilities and application projects, organisations can position themselves for long-term success and stability, fostering the innovation that they ultimately need to differentiate. Charting a Course for Success: The Strategic Blueprint for ERP Transformation A successful ERP transformation initiative begins with a well-defined strategy, plan, and execution roadmap. Crafting a strategic blueprint involves aligning ERP efforts with overarching business goals, identifying key focus areas, and prioritising initiatives based on their potential impact and feasibility. It’s crucial to ensure that the ERP journey aligns with business goals for at least the next five years. Understanding the current landscape is essential before embarking on the ERP journey. This means conducting a thorough assessment of existing business processes, technology architecture, and organisational structure. Knowing your “as-is” state helps identify gaps, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement. It also ensures that the new systems integrate seamlessly with existing systems and processes, minimising disruptions and maximising value. Navigating this transformation requires close collaboration between business and technology leaders, alignment and buy-in across the organisation, and a carefully selected suite of external partners to bring in expertise and knowledge. By establishing a clear vision, setting realistic goals, and outlining an execution roadmap, organisations can navigate any transformation, ERP or other, with confidence and purpose. Leadership, Governance, and Assurance: The Cornerstones of ERP Transformation Effective leadership, strong governance, control, and project assurance are critical for ERP transformation success. Leaders must champion the agenda, foster a culture of innovation and collaboration, and provide the necessary resources and support for meaningful change. Organisations often lack the capacity to sufficiently resource internal SMEs and project teams. Addressing this early and bringing in relevant expertise to support robust governance structures and accountability mechanisms is essential. A strong project management team with the necessary experience and expertise is crucial to drive ERP initiatives, manage risks, and optimise resource allocation. We increasingly see clients running large application programmes seeking external assurance partners to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the Board. At SmartCo, we work ‘client-side’ using proven methods to assure and monitor project health, ensuring the right skills in the core team and enabling leaders to create an environment conducive to success. Leveraging Technology: Innovation and Integration While a successful ERP implementation often represents an opportunity for sticky Business Change, technology also lies at the heart of ERP transformation, serving as a catalyst for other innovation activities (like AI and RPA) and driving efficiency and growth. Organisations must embrace these emerging technologies once the enterprise platforms are stable and operating successfully across all business areas. Dynamics 365 and IFS, with their integrated suite of applications, provide the flexibility and scalability needed to meet these demands. However, successful ERP transformation isn’t just about adopting new technologies; it’s about integrating them seamlessly into existing processes, systems, and workflows and making the change stick! Sustaining Momentum: The Role of Culture and Change Management ERP transformation is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey of evolution and adaptation. To sustain momentum and drive long-term success, organisations must embrace a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and agility using proven change management techniques. This involves fostering an environment where internal stakeholders are regularly engaged to have their ‘WIFM’ (What’s In It For Me) questions answered. By driving these conversations and investing in change management expertise where needed, organisations can ensure ERP transformation initiatives continue to deliver value long after the initial implementation. Measuring Success: Key Metrics for ERP Transformation To gauge the effectiveness of ERP transformation efforts, organisations must define clear key performance indicators and project metrics to track progress and measure outcomes. These metrics should align with strategic objectives and reflect the desired outcomes of ERP initiatives. A crucial step at the beginning of any major application-enabled transformation is to baseline the current business state/metrics, including spend, headcount, or process lengths (e.g., month-end close). These metrics can expose some uncomfortable truths but help form the business case for change and investment. Once baselined, these numbers should be regularly reviewed to prove that value is being created. External companies can support this value realisation process, providing tools and templates to aid this effort. Organisations must establish quantifiable targets and benchmarks to assess the impact of ERP transformation on business performance. By regularly monitoring and analysing performance data, the Project Delivery Team can identify improvement areas, course-correct as needed, and drive continuous improvement. SmartCo Consulting ERP Services System Integrator and Client-Side Assurance Services: Our expertise in system integrator assurance and client-side advisory services is a key offering that separates us from some of the other consultancies. We excel at maintaining clear project scopes that align with your organisational objectives. Through rigorous quality assurance processes, we identify and mitigate project-related risks and manage transformational changes effectively, including comprehensive communication and training strategies. Acting as your strategic partner, our client assurance team oversees SI partners, offers expert advisory services, and ensures alignment with your vision. We manage all aspects of your ERP implementation with a focus on quality, transparency, and continuous improvement. Project Planning and Control: Our consultants develop detailed implementation roadmaps covering timelines, risk and issue management, resource allocation, budget tracking, and milestone setting. This meticulous planning ensures your ERP project stays on track and within budget, delivering expected outcomes efficiently. Configuration and Data Migration: We ensure that business requirements align perfectly with optimised ERP functionality through effective vendor management. Our data migration experts handle the seamless transfer of data from existing systems to the new ERP system, ensuring data integrity and minimal disruption. Change Management: Our change management strategies ensure a smooth transition to the new ERP system, minimising disruptions to your operations. We focus on preparing your team through training and engagement, enabling them to embrace new processes and technologies confidently. Programme Audit: We offer a comprehensive programme audit service that provides an unbiased review and robust challenge of the programme at key stages, such as scope, plans, and budget. Our independent oversight ensures that project decisions are sound and aligned with best practices, providing an additional layer of confidence. By leveraging best practices and tools, we provide SteerCo-level assurance, challenging and validating programme decisions and direction to ensure success and adherence to strategic objectives. ERP Testing and Quality Assurance: SmartCo Consulting also offers a dedicated ERP testing and quality assurance (QA) service. Our QA experts rigorously test every aspect of your ERP implementation to ensure it meets your business requirements and performs flawlessly. We conduct comprehensive functional and non-functional testing, including system integration testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), and data integrity testing. Our focus on meticulous testing processes helps identify and resolve issues early, ensuring a smooth and successful go-live. By leveraging advanced testing tools and methodologies, we ensure your ERP system is robust, reliable, and ready to support your business operations. Resource Augmentation: Our extensive network of skilled professionals allows us to assemble multi-disciplinary teams to provide specialised assurance on specific functions or roles as required, ensuring you always have the right expertise at your disposal. About Oliver Oliver is SmartCo’s Partner and COO with 20+ years of experience leading large-scale, multi-million pound transformations. ​Oli is responsible for overseeing all programmes to ensure on-time and within budget delivery, creating scalable solutions that exceed objectives. About SmartCo Consulting At SmartCo Consulting, we are committed to delivering exceptional ERP programme results. Our dedication to flexibility, data integrity, transparent communication and continuous improvement ensures your ERP system not only meets but exceeds your expectations.
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SmartCo is certified as an ISO 14001 supplier
SmartCo is officially certified as an ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) supplier We’re pleased to announce we head into the new year with another certification. SmartCo is officially certified to a new standard, ISO 14001, for Environmental Management. ISO 14001 offers a structured approach for businesses to address pressing environmental concerns including climate change and resource depletion. By adopting and adhering to this standard, we’re committed in taking proactive measures to minimise our environmental footprint and to ongoing environmental improvement as well as complying with relevant legal requirements. We are dedicated in playing our part for a sustainable future, blending environmental responsibility with strategic business growth. A big thank you to our operations team for helping us achieve our environmental objectives.
EPR adoption in mental health
Everything you need to know about EPR adoption in mental health Watch the first of our Smart Conversations webinar series, hosted by Victoria Betton along with an amazing panel of digital health industry experts; Lee Rickles, Ayesha Rahim, Barbara Arroyo and Laura McGowan. If you would like to discuss people-centred design and how to optimise current systems by meaningfully engaging with clinicians and end users, please do get in touch.
Women hold up half the sky
“ Women hold up half the sky “ Mao Zedong, Emphasising the critical role of women in the cultural revolution. The case for all Integrated Care Systems to prioritise Women’s Health and the implementation of Women’s Health Hubs In the UK’s health and social care sectors, our reliance on women to hold up the sky is closer to 80%. Our workforce is highly feminised: 78% of the NHS workforce are women 82% of the care workforce are women A third of the care workforce are nurses, a profession that is approximately 90% female. Many nurses not only have professional caring responsibilities in their healthcare roles but also carry unpaid caring responsibilities in their personal lives. 59% of today’s unpaid carers are women contributing an estimated £77bn of care to the UK economy    (c 50% of the total annual budget of the NHS) Our sector is facing some of the most difficult times in its history. Waiting lists are at their highest, with unprecedented workforce issues in both recruitment and retention. Disproportionate impact of women’s health issues on our sector The impact of women’s health issues on the economy is generally not well understood; however a recent AXA Health report shows that this is taking a hefty economic toll on the UK, costing around £20.2 billion each year in sickness absence alone. In addition, when facing health issues that affect women, 83% report a financial impact, while nine in ten also experience emotional job-related struggles. There is a general lack of data around the health issues which particularly affect women, however, we do know that: 1:10 women are considering leaving the workforce due to the impact of the menopause (50% of the health and care workforce are of menopausal age around 45- 60) 1 in 10 women suffer from endometriosis with over 50% of women visiting their GP up to 10 times and A&E at least once pre diagnosis (a lengthy process taking an average of 8 years). 20% of women with endometriosis have visited hospitals more than 10 times in their diagnosis journey. Presenteeism (where women come into work but are unable to work at full productivity levels) cost an additional 9 days per annum according to a 2023 BMJ article. Not only does this have a negative effect on women’s lives and well-being but the impact of these issues on a predominantly female NHS and social care workforce hampers efforts to deliver health and care to the rest of the population. There are over 500,000 women on waiting lists for secondary care, in the main for gynaecological conditions; with an average of 16 weeks wait from referral to treatment. These are some of the longest waiting times nationally; how many of these women are also health and care workers? Focusing on women’s health issues could get doctors, nurses, carers, social workers, care assistants back to work, greatly assisting the NHS and social care in addressing its workforce issues. As well as the human cost; there is a sound economic argument for early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of these debilitating health issues and enabling women to work as productively as possible. Retaining skilled and experienced staff in the workforce will improve service delivery and decrease pressure on the sector. Supporting the 80% who are holding up the sky will offer benefits to all service users. Women’s Health Strategy and Women’s Health Hubs: the opportunity to innovate through digital: One year on from the publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, most ICSs are focusing on the design and delivery of their Women’s Health Hubs (WHH). Designed to bring a range of women’s services together under one (physical or digital) roof; there is a huge opportunity to think boldly, to collaboratively redesign clinical pathways and journeys for women which leverage innovation and digital technologies to scale and extend access to health and care services for many women. There are a wide range of models being designed across the country with hubs being developed out of primary and secondary or community care settings. Investments in digitising primary care, implementing Electronic Patient Records (EPR) alongside developing shared care and personal health records accessed via patient portals integrated with the NHS App create a digital ecosystem which can be leveraged in the development of WHHs. Designing for digital can enable WHHs to scale and reach wider groups, creating communities of support, connecting women with similar health concerns, providing encouragement and sharing experiences and management strategies. There are exceptionally good examples deployed today which can be replicated and scaled. However, any move to digital needs to be designed within the context of digital exclusion; an in-depth understanding not only of user needs but barriers to access will inform intelligent, multichannel design of services which work for everyone. Designing women’s health hubs informed by ICS digital inclusion strategies at an ICS level is critical to ensure that no woman gets left behind.   We have a thriving Femtech ecosystem in the UK with up to 56% of women between 18-14 and 40% of women 40-54 regularly using women’s digital health platforms. FemTech is revolutionising women’s health by helping de-stigmatise many aspects of women’s health—from menstruation to pelvic floor health to sexual wellness; by empowering women to connect with and have more control over their bodies and by extending the reach of health and care professionals through digital. By integrating remote monitoring and femtech applications into Women’s Health Hubs, we have the opportunity to ensure that these apps are clinically and digitally safe; “prescribing” them as part of a joined up set of services across channels. As part of Women’s Health Hubs, we can intelligently integrate apps, remote monitoring platforms and wearables into the service proposition designed to meet the needs of women and practitioners. Conditions which disproportionately impact on post menopausal women such as Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD) can be remotely monitored and data integrated into women’s health services enabling identification of symptoms, prevention and more timely interventions. Engaging women in the design of women’s health services As well as having the most to gain from focusing on addressing women’s health issues, the health and care sector also has the most opportunity to do so. We have a huge and engaged clinical and practitioner community who could be invited to help to Design Test Pilot Pathways, new models of care and digital solutions This community is both user and practitioner with the dual perspective of assessing whether new services work for women as: Clinicians Practitioners Care givers …an unprecedented opportunity to innovate from a multiplicity of perspectives. For many of these clinicians, the work which they do in Women’s Health is amongst the most enjoyable and rewarding part of their working lives, enabling them to specialise in and focus in these areas may act as powerful and motivating retention factors. Fit your own oxygen mask before fitting others’ In a final thought, there is a strong argument to prioritise the treatment of our female workforce as a deliberate policy initiative. In the same way as we vaccinated essential workers as a priority during Covid, we could prioritise our female workforce as part of Women’s Health strategies. This will bring capacity and capability back into services and address some of the clinical areas with the longest outpatient waiting times.     Focusing Women’s Health Hubs on delivering services to those sections of the population will provide significant benefit to the wider health and economic outcomes for Integrated Care Systems.         We have a huge opportunity to shape a new form of healthcare delivery, combining the power of digital technologies with traditional clinical models to benefit women, both as patients and as service providers, genuinely turning the dial for women’s health.  
SmartCo is Carbon Neutral
SmartCo is Carbon Neutral  We’re so pleased to announce we are a carbon neutral organisation. Not only have we been working hard at making more sustainable choices across our business to reduce our carbon footprint and limit our overall environmental impact but our carbon offsetting has saved an impressive 23 tonnes of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere. ‘I’m proud to have supported SmartCo on our journey towards carbon neutrality. Changes in UK public sector carbon requirements happened to dovetail with broader SmartCo ESG ambitions to reduce our carbon footprint. Over the past 18 months we have been busy! We first appointed a Carbon Partner who specialises in giving small businesses best practical guidance. We then went through the process of creating carbon reduction plans, developing surveys across the business, actioning our plans and producing a set of detailed carbon reports. A special thanks to ESG Pro who have helped us through every stage of our carbon neutral journey.’ George Jackson, Head of Commercial A big thanks to George and ESP Pro who have been integral in helping us to invest in a safer climate and more sustainable world.
SmartCo is ISO Certified
SmartCo is officially an ISO 9001 business supplier  SmartCo is officially an ISO 9001 business after passing the 2nd and final part of our ISO 9001 Accreditation. We’re incredibly proud to be internationally recognised and certified in our management and use of quality process, systems, people, governance and client management. We’re so pleased all our hard work has paid off and is helping us run a more efficient, client focused business. ‘As SmartCo grows at an incredible rate, it’s important we continue to service our clients with exceptional delivery. This needs strong and process driven Operations. ISO has enabled us to demonstrate all of the excellent processes that happen in the ‘back office’ but also ensures that we maintain the high standards that we set for ourselves. I’m so pleased to have achieved ISO 9001. A huge thanks to all those involved and I look forward to continuing our journey with ISO 14001.’ Oliver Kane, COO Big thanks to our amazing team, Sally Griffiths, George Jackson, Lydia Harvey-Jones, Grace Haynes, Aimee Camm and Wayne Hayes who have all worked so hard to get this over the line.
Welcome to Holly
Young-Beke
We are thrilled to announce Holly Young-Beke has joined SmartCo as Project Resource Manager. Wishing you a warm welcome from the entire SmartCo team. We sat down with Holly to ask her a few questions about her career path, her new role at SmartCo, what attracted her to SmartCo and what she enjoys doing in her spare time. Hi Holly. What has been your career leading up to SmartCo? I graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2019 where I studied Psychology. Prior to this, I always had my own income from the age of 15. Whether that meant working for my local football club, West Ham, or other sales/commission driven environments e.g. Sports Direct selling bags for life or Linzi Shoes, trying to convince women that ‘this was the shoe for them’. I then embarked on my first professional Job at TEKsystems, specialising in infrastructure. Post Covid, my role and responsibilities changed immensely, which gave me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally by becoming responsible for other individuals success. Since then, I felt I needed a new challenge. Hence, I joined SmartCo, a new exciting chapter with likeminded people who I can learn and grow from. What is your new role and key responsibilities at SmartCo? A Project Resource Manager within the private sector, identifying and attracting top talent. Being a fresh set of eyes that can help in driving new processes and bringing innovative ideas to help create a strong network of associates. What attracted you to SmartCo? The mature environment, the close-knit culture aspect, and the opportunity to be a part of something where I could leave my mark and make a change. I also liked the idea of the flexibility around roles. There isn’t a rigid structure which makes it more appealing. What’s unique about SmartCo and what excites you most? The culture here is unique and was one of my main reasons for wanting to join. I love the fact that I’ve only been here 3 weeks but I feel completely part of the team already. Everyone I’ve met thus far has been so friendly and easy to talk to. I’m excited to learn more about our clients and be apart of the many initiatives that we’ve been working towards in the background. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I go to the gym a lot in my spare time and anywhere that gives me access to good food, cocktails and some afrobeats 🙂
Navigating the cloud landscape
As we embark on 2024, the cloud computing landscape is poised for an era of significant transformation. This year marks a period of rapid innovation, presenting both challenges and unparalleled opportunities in the tech world. The fusion of cloud technology with advancements in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, which began taking shape in 2023, is now accelerating, paving the way for groundbreaking developments. This year, we’re not just witnessing a continuation of trends; we’re at the cusp of a new chapter in cloud computing, one that promises to reshape the industry and redefine our approach to digital solutions. Our top 10 Cloud Trends and Predictions in 2024 1. The New Age of Diverse Cloud Solutions In 2024, the concept of a one-size-fits-all cloud solution is becoming obsolete. We’re transitioning to a dynamic era where hybrid and multi-cloud environments are the norm. This approach integrates on-premises infrastructure with diverse cloud services, primarily offered by Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), offering businesses unprecedented flexibility. This evolution allows organisations to tailor their cloud resources to specific needs, ensuring redundancy and embracing vendor-agnostic solutions. It’s a significant leap towards a more customised, efficient and resilient cloud computing landscape, suitable for companies of all sizes. 2. Complexities in a Multi-Cloud World The shift towards multi-cloud environments in 2024 brings its own set of challenges. As organisations adopt a mix of cloud services and applications, the complexity in managing these diverse systems increases significantly. While there are emerging solutions aimed at simplifying the intricacies of multi-cloud setups, it’s crucial to be wary of tools that only mask the complexity rather than truly streamline it. This situation calls for a careful approach, balancing the benefits of multi-cloud strategies with the need for effective and genuine management solutions. 3. Rising Trend of Serverless Technology Serverless computing is gaining momentum in 2024, renowned for its efficiency and scalability. This technology allows businesses to focus on application logic without the hassle of managing server infrastructure. The maturation of serverless platforms is enabling organisations to develop and deploy agile, cloud-native applications more effectively than ever. As a result, serverless computing is becoming a cornerstone for businesses seeking to leverage the full potential of cloud technology while minimising overhead and maximising operational efficiency. 4. Advancing Security in Serverless Environments With the rise of serverless computing in 2024, the focus on security has intensified. The expansion of serverless architectures necessitates specialised security tools and practices to protect against vulnerabilities and breaches. Businesses are now prioritising the security of serverless functions and data more than ever. This shift is crucial to ensure the benefits of serverless computing are not undermined by emerging security risks, leading to a more robust and secure cloud computing environment. 5. Leveraging AI for Cloud Optimisation Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly crucial in optimising cloud resource management in 2024. These technologies are transforming how organisations manage their cloud infrastructure, leading to significant cost reductions, performance enhancements and overall operational efficiency. AI-driven cloud management is becoming the standard, enabling dynamic resource allocation, cost-saving discovery and the automation of routine tasks. This trend highlights AI’s growing role in making cloud computing more efficient and effective. 6. Merging Edge Computing with Cloud Technologies The integration of edge computing with cloud services is a key development in 2024. This combination enables real-time data processing at the network’s edge, significantly reducing latency for Internet of Things (IoT) applications and other latency-sensitive workloads. Cloud providers are expanding their offerings to include edge computing solutions, thereby extending their services to the edge of networks. This advancement opens up a myriad of new use cases, marking a significant step in the evolution of cloud computing. 7. Preparing for Quantum Computing’s Impact on Security The advancements in quantum computing in 2024 are prompting a significant shift in cloud security. Traditional encryption methods are now vulnerable to quantum computing’s capabilities. In response, cloud providers are introducing quantum-safe encryption techniques to protect sensitive data against these emerging threats. This proactive approach is crucial for businesses relying on cloud services, offering them access to advanced cryptographic solutions that are resistant to quantum computing risks. This trend underscores the industry’s commitment to staying ahead of cybersecurity challenges. 8. Innovative Security Approaches in Cloud-Native Ecosystems In 2024, the cloud computing landscape is increasingly shaped by innovative, cloud-native startups. These companies are offering new, software-driven security solutions specifically designed for the cloud. As more organisations adopt cloud-native applications and microservices, the demand for security tools that address the unique challenges of these architectures grows. These cloud-native security solutions are crucial for ensuring that applications remain secure throughout their lifecycle, reflecting a tailored approach to cloud security. 9. Sophisticated Ransomware Attacks As we progress into 2024, ransomware continues to be a significant threat to cloud services. Attackers are increasingly targeting cloud storage and services due to the vast amounts of valuable data stored online. The sophistication of these attacks is expected to rise, with more advanced techniques bypassing traditional security measures. This trend underscores the need for enhanced cloud security protocols, regular backups and comprehensive disaster recovery plans. As ransomware becomes more intricate, cloud service providers and users must be vigilant and proactive in implementing robust security strategies to protect sensitive data. 10. Sustainable Practices in Cloud Computing In 2024, cloud sustainability initiatives are taking centre stage. Cloud providers are increasingly investing in green technologies and advocating sustainable practices. Their focus is on reducing their carbon footprint through eco-friendly data storage and more energy-efficient data centres. This trend reflects a growing commitment to environmental responsibility in the cloud computing industry, aligning with the values of socially-responsible organisations. Sustainable cloud computing offers benefits, not just for the planet, but also for businesses looking to minimise their environmental impact. Addressing the Cloud Skills Gap The demand for cloud computing expertise is rapidly outpacing supply in 2024, highlighting a significant skills gap. This gap is particularly notable for roles like Senior Cloud Architects, Database Architects, AI/Co-pilot experts, and software engineers with cloud expertise. As cloud technologies become more complex, this demand is expected to grow, underscoring the need for continuous learning and development in this field. It’s essential for organisations to adapt and upskill their workforce to fully leverage cloud capabilities and manage associated risks and complexities.
SmartCo is certified as an ISO 14001 supplier
SmartCo is officially certified as an ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) supplier We’re pleased to announce we head into the new year with another certification. SmartCo is officially certified to a new standard, ISO 14001, for Environmental Management. ISO 14001 offers a structured approach for businesses to address pressing environmental concerns including climate change and resource depletion. By adopting and adhering to this standard, we’re committed in taking proactive measures to minimise our environmental footprint and to ongoing environmental improvement as well as complying with relevant legal requirements. We are dedicated in playing our part for a sustainable future, blending environmental responsibility with strategic business growth. A big thank you to our operations team for helping us achieve our environmental objectives.
EPR adoption in mental health
Everything you need to know about EPR adoption in mental health Watch the first of our Smart Conversations webinar series, hosted by Victoria Betton along with an amazing panel of digital health industry experts; Lee Rickles, Ayesha Rahim, Barbara Arroyo and Laura McGowan. If you would like to discuss people-centred design and how to optimise current systems by meaningfully engaging with clinicians and end users, please do get in touch.
Women hold up half the sky
“ Women hold up half the sky “ Mao Zedong, Emphasising the critical role of women in the cultural revolution. The case for all Integrated Care Systems to prioritise Women’s Health and the implementation of Women’s Health Hubs In the UK’s health and social care sectors, our reliance on women to hold up the sky is closer to 80%. Our workforce is highly feminised: 78% of the NHS workforce are women 82% of the care workforce are women A third of the care workforce are nurses, a profession that is approximately 90% female. Many nurses not only have professional caring responsibilities in their healthcare roles but also carry unpaid caring responsibilities in their personal lives. 59% of today’s unpaid carers are women contributing an estimated £77bn of care to the UK economy    (c 50% of the total annual budget of the NHS) Our sector is facing some of the most difficult times in its history. Waiting lists are at their highest, with unprecedented workforce issues in both recruitment and retention. Disproportionate impact of women’s health issues on our sector The impact of women’s health issues on the economy is generally not well understood; however a recent AXA Health report shows that this is taking a hefty economic toll on the UK, costing around £20.2 billion each year in sickness absence alone. In addition, when facing health issues that affect women, 83% report a financial impact, while nine in ten also experience emotional job-related struggles. There is a general lack of data around the health issues which particularly affect women, however, we do know that: 1:10 women are considering leaving the workforce due to the impact of the menopause (50% of the health and care workforce are of menopausal age around 45- 60) 1 in 10 women suffer from endometriosis with over 50% of women visiting their GP up to 10 times and A&E at least once pre diagnosis (a lengthy process taking an average of 8 years). 20% of women with endometriosis have visited hospitals more than 10 times in their diagnosis journey. Presenteeism (where women come into work but are unable to work at full productivity levels) cost an additional 9 days per annum according to a 2023 BMJ article. Not only does this have a negative effect on women’s lives and well-being but the impact of these issues on a predominantly female NHS and social care workforce hampers efforts to deliver health and care to the rest of the population. There are over 500,000 women on waiting lists for secondary care, in the main for gynaecological conditions; with an average of 16 weeks wait from referral to treatment. These are some of the longest waiting times nationally; how many of these women are also health and care workers? Focusing on women’s health issues could get doctors, nurses, carers, social workers, care assistants back to work, greatly assisting the NHS and social care in addressing its workforce issues. As well as the human cost; there is a sound economic argument for early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of these debilitating health issues and enabling women to work as productively as possible. Retaining skilled and experienced staff in the workforce will improve service delivery and decrease pressure on the sector. Supporting the 80% who are holding up the sky will offer benefits to all service users. Women’s Health Strategy and Women’s Health Hubs: the opportunity to innovate through digital: One year on from the publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, most ICSs are focusing on the design and delivery of their Women’s Health Hubs (WHH). Designed to bring a range of women’s services together under one (physical or digital) roof; there is a huge opportunity to think boldly, to collaboratively redesign clinical pathways and journeys for women which leverage innovation and digital technologies to scale and extend access to health and care services for many women. There are a wide range of models being designed across the country with hubs being developed out of primary and secondary or community care settings. Investments in digitising primary care, implementing Electronic Patient Records (EPR) alongside developing shared care and personal health records accessed via patient portals integrated with the NHS App create a digital ecosystem which can be leveraged in the development of WHHs. Designing for digital can enable WHHs to scale and reach wider groups, creating communities of support, connecting women with similar health concerns, providing encouragement and sharing experiences and management strategies. There are exceptionally good examples deployed today which can be replicated and scaled. However, any move to digital needs to be designed within the context of digital exclusion; an in-depth understanding not only of user needs but barriers to access will inform intelligent, multichannel design of services which work for everyone. Designing women’s health hubs informed by ICS digital inclusion strategies at an ICS level is critical to ensure that no woman gets left behind.   We have a thriving Femtech ecosystem in the UK with up to 56% of women between 18-14 and 40% of women 40-54 regularly using women’s digital health platforms. FemTech is revolutionising women’s health by helping de-stigmatise many aspects of women’s health—from menstruation to pelvic floor health to sexual wellness; by empowering women to connect with and have more control over their bodies and by extending the reach of health and care professionals through digital. By integrating remote monitoring and femtech applications into Women’s Health Hubs, we have the opportunity to ensure that these apps are clinically and digitally safe; “prescribing” them as part of a joined up set of services across channels. As part of Women’s Health Hubs, we can intelligently integrate apps, remote monitoring platforms and wearables into the service proposition designed to meet the needs of women and practitioners. Conditions which disproportionately impact on post menopausal women such as Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD) can be remotely monitored and data integrated into women’s health services enabling identification of symptoms, prevention and more timely interventions. Engaging women in the design of women’s health services As well as having the most to gain from focusing on addressing women’s health issues, the health and care sector also has the most opportunity to do so. We have a huge and engaged clinical and practitioner community who could be invited to help to Design Test Pilot Pathways, new models of care and digital solutions This community is both user and practitioner with the dual perspective of assessing whether new services work for women as: Clinicians Practitioners Care givers …an unprecedented opportunity to innovate from a multiplicity of perspectives. For many of these clinicians, the work which they do in Women’s Health is amongst the most enjoyable and rewarding part of their working lives, enabling them to specialise in and focus in these areas may act as powerful and motivating retention factors. Fit your own oxygen mask before fitting others’ In a final thought, there is a strong argument to prioritise the treatment of our female workforce as a deliberate policy initiative. In the same way as we vaccinated essential workers as a priority during Covid, we could prioritise our female workforce as part of Women’s Health strategies. This will bring capacity and capability back into services and address some of the clinical areas with the longest outpatient waiting times.     Focusing Women’s Health Hubs on delivering services to those sections of the population will provide significant benefit to the wider health and economic outcomes for Integrated Care Systems.         We have a huge opportunity to shape a new form of healthcare delivery, combining the power of digital technologies with traditional clinical models to benefit women, both as patients and as service providers, genuinely turning the dial for women’s health.  
SmartCo is Carbon Neutral
SmartCo is Carbon Neutral  We’re so pleased to announce we are a carbon neutral organisation. Not only have we been working hard at making more sustainable choices across our business to reduce our carbon footprint and limit our overall environmental impact but our carbon offsetting has saved an impressive 23 tonnes of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere. ‘I’m proud to have supported SmartCo on our journey towards carbon neutrality. Changes in UK public sector carbon requirements happened to dovetail with broader SmartCo ESG ambitions to reduce our carbon footprint. Over the past 18 months we have been busy! We first appointed a Carbon Partner who specialises in giving small businesses best practical guidance. We then went through the process of creating carbon reduction plans, developing surveys across the business, actioning our plans and producing a set of detailed carbon reports. A special thanks to ESG Pro who have helped us through every stage of our carbon neutral journey.’ George Jackson, Head of Commercial A big thanks to George and ESP Pro who have been integral in helping us to invest in a safer climate and more sustainable world.
SmartCo is ISO Certified
SmartCo is officially an ISO 9001 business supplier  SmartCo is officially an ISO 9001 business after passing the 2nd and final part of our ISO 9001 Accreditation. We’re incredibly proud to be internationally recognised and certified in our management and use of quality process, systems, people, governance and client management. We’re so pleased all our hard work has paid off and is helping us run a more efficient, client focused business. ‘As SmartCo grows at an incredible rate, it’s important we continue to service our clients with exceptional delivery. This needs strong and process driven Operations. ISO has enabled us to demonstrate all of the excellent processes that happen in the ‘back office’ but also ensures that we maintain the high standards that we set for ourselves. I’m so pleased to have achieved ISO 9001. A huge thanks to all those involved and I look forward to continuing our journey with ISO 14001.’ Oliver Kane, COO Big thanks to our amazing team, Sally Griffiths, George Jackson, Lydia Harvey-Jones, Grace Haynes, Aimee Camm and Wayne Hayes who have all worked so hard to get this over the line.