# Implementing Patient Centred Care in Clinical Homecare

> Published: 2026-10-16
> URL: https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/case-studies/pen-awards-2026-patient-centred-care

How PHP put patients at the centre of clinical homecare, from Therapy Awareness Weeks co-created with patient organisations to safer, smarter technology, earning a place as a finalist at the 2026 Picker Experience Network Awards.

- **74** NHS trusts we work with
- **135** hospital sites served
- **6** Therapy Awareness Weeks held with 7 patient organisations

****

[Download the case study (PDF, 550 KB)](https://phppublicmedia.blob.core.windows.net/website/case-studies/pen-awards-2026/PHP-PEN-Awards-2026-Case-Study.pdf)

## Overview

**Personal Homecare Pharmacy (PHP) was shortlisted as a finalist at the 2026 Picker Experience Network (PEN) Awards in the Joined-Up Care Experience category.**

A Leicestershire-based clinical homecare provider with more than 94 staff, we work with 74 NHS trusts across 135 hospital sites. Our mission is to deliver innovative person-centred care closer to home.

## Challenges

UK homecare has the estimated potential to save the NHS £1.67 billion a year (ABPI Report 2025: *Bringing Healthcare Home*). Despite its benefits, homecare can be improved to overcome these challenges:

- Paper-based prescribing and manual handovers
- Fragmented communication across the pathway
- Services built around processes, not people

## Our approach

**Our CEO and Chief Patient Officer jointly lead People and Technology as equal strategic pillars, linking board-level accountability to frontline delivery.**

What we set out to change:

1. Care designed around the person
2. Use technology to remove the friction

We adapted the Picker Principles of Person Centred Care for care in the home, and we listen to and act on all feedback from patients, staff, the NHS and partners. Our CPO chairs the NCHA Patient Advisory Council.

## Patients as partners

We worked with patients and patient organisations to develop our own series of Therapy Awareness Weeks, reframing homecare delivery around the patient voice.

We also re-organised our patient services team into therapy areas. Patients and patient associations helped train our staff, building real understanding of the needs of the people we serve.

We set up a Patient Council so our staff see patients as partners in shaping our services, not just recipients of them. We train people to manage their own treatment at home, supporting greater independence.

## Safer, smarter technology

We repurposed proven e-commerce technology for a highly regulated clinical setting, applying pharmaceutical-grade safety controls, governance and compliance.

- Patient, NHS and Nursing portals, each designed with the NHS and shaped by patient feedback
- A Patient App, currently being co-designed, and an E-Sign trial
- AI-driven prescription management and new pharmacy labelling systems
- A Pharmacovigilance (PV) Case Management Module for accurate, safe reporting

Together these remove the safety risks of paper prescribing and manual handovers, giving everyone a shared, real-time view of patient status.

## The results

By combining people-centred design with innovation, we have streamlined operations while raising care quality and safety across the pathway. Key achievements include:

- 6 Therapy Awareness Weeks held with 7 patient organisations
- Criteria met for Customer Service Excellence (CSE)
- 2026 Patient Survey feedback implemented
- Patient, NHS and Nursing portals live; Patient App being co-designed
- E-Sign trialled for safer, paperless prescribing
- PV Case Management Module introduced

> **The case for homecare is clear**
>
> A Kent and Medway study found 2.4 hospital bed days saved per patient, or 703 fewer bed days and £770,101 saved. Across the 640,000 people receiving clinical homecare in the UK, that equates to 1,523,200 bed days a year.

## Our principles of person-centred care

We adapted the eight Picker Principles of Person Centred Care for clinical homecare. They guide how we design and deliver every service, from referral to supporting patients to manage their own treatment.

![Our eight principles: fast access to clinical homecare; smooth referral and continuity of care; effective treatment by trusted professionals; support for families and carers; involvement in decisions; emotional support; clear information; self-management](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/person-centred-care-principles-90ca6b.webp)

## Therapy Awareness Weeks in action

Working with patients and patient organisations, our team hosted a series of Therapy Awareness Weeks. Each week built real understanding of the conditions our patients live with, and helped us shape care around their needs.

![PHP staff and PAPAA representatives in yellow t-shirts holding leaflets in front of a balloon arch](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/awareness-week-papaa-59d95c.webp)
*Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness Week with PAPAA*

![Two PHP team members in Juvenile Arthritis Research t-shirts holding awareness posters](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/awareness-week-jar-489c83.webp)
*Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Week with Juvenile Arthritis Research (JAR)*

![Two PHP team members in orange NASS t-shirts beside a NASS banner](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/awareness-week-nass-482364.webp)
*Axial Spondyloarthritis Awareness Week with NASS*

![PHP team members holding NRAS leaflets in front of balloons](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/awareness-week-nras-048b7e.webp)
*Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Week with NRAS*

> Our drive comes from a duty of care to ensure Clinical Homecare meets the needs of people and the NHS. While we must be profitable to operate, quality remains our main driver.

## Summary

- **New thinking:** Therapy Awareness Weeks co-created with patient organisations
- **Leadership:** CEO and CPO drive People and Technology as equal pillars
- **Sustainable outcomes:** patient portals, AI prescription management and new labelling raise safety and quality
- **Involvement:** patients train staff and shape services through our Patient Council
- **Transferability:** a replicable blueprint for the homecare sector and the NHS

## Read the full case study

The four-page case study is below, or download the PDF to keep or share.

![Case study page 1 of 4: overview, challenges, our approach, patients as partners and safer, smarter technology](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/pen-case-study-page-1-85f2c0.webp)

![Case study page 2 of 4: the results and our principles of person-centred care](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/pen-case-study-page-2-693289.webp)

![Case study page 3 of 4: Therapy Awareness Weeks in action, with photos from four awareness weeks](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/pen-case-study-page-3-cedd2a.webp)

![Case study page 4 of 4: PEN Awards 2026 finalists photo, summary and thanks to partner organisations](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/media/contentstudio/2026/10/pen-case-study-page-4-cbadd4.webp)

**Download the PEN Awards 2026 case study** Four pages: our approach, results, principles of person-centred care and Therapy Awareness Weeks. PDF, 550 KB.

[Download PDF](https://phppublicmedia.blob.core.windows.net/website/case-studies/pen-awards-2026/PHP-PEN-Awards-2026-Case-Study.pdf)

## Heartfelt thanks

To the following organisations and NHS Trusts:

- Juvenile Arthritis Research ([jarproject.org](https://www.jarproject.org))
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA-at-NRAS ([jia.org.uk](https://www.jia.org.uk))
- Crohn's & Colitis UK ([crohnsandcolitis.org.uk](https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk))
- NASS ([nass.co.uk](https://www.nass.co.uk))
- NRAS ([nras.org.uk](https://www.nras.org.uk))
- PAPAA ([papaa.org](https://www.papaa.org))
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust ([read our Leeds case study](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/case-studies/leeds-reducing-time-to-treatment))
- Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust ([read our Portsmouth case study](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/case-studies/portsmouth-case-study))

**Together, we deliver better care.** Find out how partnering with Personal Homecare Pharmacy can bring person-centred clinical homecare to your patients.

[Partner with PHP](https://www.homecare-pharmacy.co.uk/healthcare-companies)