The future of elective care recovery: Empowering patients while they wait
As the NHS grapples with record-breaking elective care backlogs, a new narrative is emerging.
One that shifts the focus from reactive treatment to proactive patient empowerment.
In a recent webinar hosted by ORCHA, a panel of experts from across the healthcare ecosystem came together to explore how digital innovation, intelligent infrastructure, and patient-facing technologies can transform the elective care journey.
Here’s a round-up of the key insights and takeaways from the session in case you missed it!
If you’d like to watch the session on demand, please contact alison.johnson@orchahealth.com.
The political and systemic imperative
Charlotte Refsum, former GP and now at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, opened with a powerful message: elective care recovery is not just a clinical challenge, it’s a political one. With over 6 million people waiting, the NHS is under pressure to deliver not just care, but confidence in the system.
“80% of people on the elective waiting list are waiting for their first outpatient appointment or diagnostic – not surgery. That’s where the opportunity lies.”
Charlotte highlighted the need to transform the waiting experience from passive to active, especially since many patients are dealing with modifiable risk factors. The NHS App, she argued, could be a gateway to empowering patients with tools to manage their health while they wait, but only if we can validate and scale digital solutions effectively.
Infrastructure overload: Why the system is buckling
Barry Mulholland, CEO of MBI Health, brought a sharp operational lens to the discussion. He argued that the problem isn’t just the size of the backlog, it’s the outdated infrastructure underpinning it.
“We don’t need faster horses. We need a different infrastructure.”
Barry introduced the concept of the “front log” (the 80% of patients waiting to be seen) and made the case for intelligent infrastructure that enables continuous validation, two-way communication, and algorithmic triage. Without this, he warned, we’ll never catch up.
The clinical cost of inaction
Dr. Will Carroll, consultant anaesthetist at NHS Mid Cheshire, offered a sobering view from the front lines. He described how deconditioned patients, those whose health deteriorates while waiting, create cascading challenges for surgical teams.
“One poorly optimised patient can derail an entire theatre list.”
Will advocated for digital tools that support prehabilitation, remote monitoring, and post-op recovery. These tools don’t just improve outcomes they reduce cancellations, protect capacity, and empower patients to take an active role in their care.
Operational transformation through digital
Anthony Tracey, Digital Director at Hywel Dda Health Board, emphasised the need to treat elective care as a logistics challenge. Drawing parallels with hotel and retail industries, he called for dynamic scheduling, digital-first communication, and a single version of the truth.
“Tesco has been letting you book a slot for years. The NHS doesn’t. That has to change.”
Anthony also stressed the importance of digital inclusion and co-designing solutions with patients to ensure accessibility and engagement.
From insight to action: Introducing CareQ
Alison Johnson, Head of UK Health Systems at ORCHA, closed the session by showcasing CareQ, a new solution that delivers personalised, pathway-specific digital support to patients while they wait.
“We know what works. We just need to get it into patients’ hands at the right time.”
CareQ bundles clinically assured apps and delivers them via SMS or patient portals, enabling patients to manage pain, mobility, mental health, and more, all before they step into a hospital.
Key takeaways
- Empowerment is the new efficiency: Patients who are supported while they wait are more likely to arrive optimised, reducing cancellations and improving outcomes.
- Focus on the front log: The biggest opportunity lies in the 80% of patients waiting for diagnostics or first appointments.
- Digital is ready but the system isn’t: The tech exists. The challenge is validation, integration, and scale.
- Infrastructure matters: Without intelligent systems, even the best tools will fail to deliver impact.
- Trust patients: Give them the tools, information, and agency to manage their own health.
Final thoughts: From passive waiting to active preparation
The elective care crisis is complex, but the path forward is clear: we must move from passive waiting to active engagement.
That means rethinking infrastructure, embracing digital, and – most importantly – trusting patients to be partners in their own care.
Digital health is a proven solution, with evidence showing it can improve patient outcomes and reduce system strain. But the real challenge? Getting the right app to the right patient at the right time.
That’s where ORCHA’s CareQ comes in.
CareQ helps NHS teams turn waiting time into preparation time. It empowers patients with personalised digital tools to ‘wait well’ and get treatment-ready. By reducing the risk of cancellations and boosting efficiency, CareQ accelerates elective recovery.
If you’d like to learn more about how CareQ could help your organisation, alison.johnson@orchahealth.com.