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Introduction

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act) and sets out the steps taken by Vita Health Group in preventing modern slavery (that is, slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking) in its business and supply chains. Vita Health Group is committed to ensuring a sustainable and ethical business, and as such will work towards eliminating the risk of modern slavery in all its activities and services. We are committed to ensuring that no person’s human rights are violated, and that all employees and suppliers are treated fairly, and that our business partners and suppliers do the same.

Our structure, business, and supply chains

Vita Health Group is a leading UK healthcare provider of physical and mental health services to employers and insurers, the NHS, and private service users. Our physical health services include community musculoskeletal physiotherapy and dermatology services. Our mental health services include cognise behavioural therapy, guided self-help, and group therapy sessions.
Vita Health Groups purpose of ‘Making People Better’ underpins everything we do, and our employees ensure we achieve this through their commitment to our five values; ‘Integrity, Quality, Customer Focussed, People Centred and Leadership’. Our values demonstrate our commitment to act ethically and with integrity in all our activates and relations.
As a national healthcare organisation, we operate from several sites nationally and purchase a variety of products and services ranging from healthcare equipment, medicines, uniforms, waste disposal, and domestic services. Many of these products and services are used in the provision of healthcare to service users, such as injectable medicines, whilst others will be used in day-today business operations, such as office supplies. We engage many suppliers across the organisation, through our Facilities Team, IT Team and Network Clinics.

Due diligence processes

Vita Health Group carry out a modern slavery due diligence process for all new suppliers. If any supplier is deemed a high or medium risk following this process, they will be risk assessed utilising a comprehensive modern slavery questionnaire. If a concern is identified because of this due diligence process, we would primarily seek to address this by working with suppliers to rectify the issue. However, if the issue cannot be remedied, we would cease dealings with a supplier and engage with alternative suppliers as necessary.

Risk assessment and management

Whilst we are a UK-based organisation, we understand our obligations towards modern slavery, and recognise the complexes that surround this illegal act globally, and the impact that this may have on healthcare practice. Vita Health Group services encompass frontline clinical teams, working with a large variation of supply chains, customers, and visitors to the organisation. Our colleagues are well placed to identify and deal with modern slavery through the training, and processes in place to protect service users. The safeguarding system trains colleagues (clinical and non-clinical) to recognise and report signs of abuse and neglect. This system is comprehensive and migrates the risk of modern slavery from either going undetected or being inadequately dealt with at front-line level. The risk is further controlled by colleagues having access to support, training, and an ability to raise concerns through access to ‘Speak Up Guardians’, grievance policy, central incident reporting, feedback email, and a confidential helpline.

Vita Health Group’s Supplier Management and Procurement, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Ethical Business Policies ensure our clinics are equipped with guidance and risk assessment tools to identify modern slavery risks in local contracts. The Directors within the organisation who run its business must satisfy all necessary employment checks and fit and proper person checks to fulfil their role.
The most significant risk of modern slavery within our business is in our group supply chain. We engage directly with senior representatives from our main supply chains to understand how they address modern slavery risk in their business and supply chains.

Policies

Our Whistleblowing Policy was replaced by our Speak Up policy in September 2021 to ensure all colleagues feel empowered and encouraged to raise any concerns of suspected wrongdoing or harm throughout the organisation.
The key policies and procedures relating to adult Safeguarding, Child Safeguarding and Mental Capacity are up-to-date and contain specific references to modern slavery risk. We are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of Vita Health Groups’ Supplier Management and Procurement policy.

People

To minimise the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking for direct employees Vita Health Group confirms the identities of all new employees and their right to work in the United Kingdom. We are a National Living Wage employer. Our Business Ethics Policy lays out  guidance on fair and equal treatment of individuals. Our Corporate Social Responsibility Policy lays out guidance on diversity, confidentiality, and fairness. Our Grievance Policy and Speak Up Policy lays out how colleagues can raise concerns.

Training

Vita Health Group provides learning, development, and training to increase colleagues’ awareness of modern slavery and support them to understand the importance and fully engage in modern slavery prevention and how to respond if concerns are detected. All colleagues are proporonately trained in adult and child Safeguarding (Levels 1 through 4) including modern slavery as a category of abuse. All VHG’s registered healthcare professionals are required to complete Level 3 Safeguarding Adults and Children training and our Safeguarding Team receive Level 4 Safeguarding Officer Training.

This statement has been approved by the Board of Directors of Vita Health Group Limited.

Derrick Farrell

Derrick Farrell
Chief Executive Officer

Date: 15/02/2024

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