Sciensus’ reliable and friendly service helps Martin to get on with his life without worrying about receiving his medication

Living with ankylosing spondylitis, Martin has been receiving regular deliveries of life-changing medication from Sciensus for 10 years.  

Ankylosing spondylitis is a long-term condition which causes the spine and other areas of the body to become inflamed. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be a genetic disorder. For Martin, symptoms began some 13 years ago, including losing the ability to turn his neck and severe stiffness upon waking in the morning. It can be difficult to diagnose and, for several years, Martin had to try and manage his debilitating symptoms with pain relief alone.  

Eventually, Martin was referred for a detailed MRI scan where clinicians identified swelling in his spine and a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was confirmed through a genetic test. As a result, Martin was offered a new medication which was in the final stages of clinical trials. The medication is administered through a fortnightly injection. Fortunately, Martin’s NHS hospital was working with Sciensus which meant he could get the medication delivered to his home for him to self-administer rather than having to travel to a clinic every two weeks.  

“It may not sound like a big deal, but being able to manage my medication at home has been a real positive for me,” Martin says. “It means that it is just part of my usual routine, and I don’t have to go to the trouble of taking time off work to travel to a clinic every two weeks – it allows me to get on with my life and largely not think about my condition or medication.” 

Over the 10 years Martin has been on service with Sciensus, he reports an overwhelmingly positive experience. “I have no complaints,” he says. “My deliveries have always been on time; the drivers and call centre staff are friendly and helpful, and I’ve never had any trouble getting in contact with them. In the time I’ve been getting my deliveries from Sciensus, I have moved house twice and the process of updating my details was easy and very smooth. They even talked me through how to safely transport my stock of medication and sent me a cool bag for that exact purpose.” 

Martin also praises the proactive approach Sciensus takes to ensuring he receives his medication on time. “For example, recently there was some kind of supply issue and so Sciensus changed my delivery schedule to help make sure I wasn’t impacted,” he says.  

And what about when things don’t go to plan?  

“I can only think of one example,” says Martin, “Of where something went slightly wrong. It was when the NHS changed the manufacturer of my medication, and this included a change in the kind of syringe I was given. The new one is more difficult to use, and I found it much more painful. When I contacted Sciensus to explain this, they immediately booked a nurse to come and visit me and provide training and advice on how to use the new syringe to reduce the discomfort I was feeling. I am not sure you can ask for much more than that.”