Tackling the NHS Waiting List Crisis with Dr Matthew Freer

Tackling the NHS Waiting List Crisis

with Dr Matthew Freer (1997)

With hospital waiting lists and targets regularly making the headlines, one OA and Consultant Anaesthetist, Matthew Freer (1997) has stepped out of the operating theatre to develop Infix, a cloud-based solution to tackle the backlog in post-Covid 19 waiting lists.

We asked him to tell us more about it.

“Person-centred care” is at the heart of NHS Scotland’s mission statement, so how does Infix help patient outcomes?

Person-centred digital software is bandied about without actually understanding how to achieve it. Infix Support’s ethos is that to improve patient care you must ensure that users of medical software are fully engaged. To do this you need to approach it with the user at the heart of its design. If a user engages, the patient benefits. My brother and co-founder, David Freer, with over 20 years of design experience, has ensured that we put the client’s needs first, so that the interface is both rewarding and intuitive.

As a Consultant Anaesthetist working within our target market, I am able to focus on the concept of what is needed and not what it would be nice to have. The use of accurate data is also the key element driving our Infix: Schedule platform, and with nearly one million data points supporting its output, we have developed a tool that allows surgical operating lists to significantly increase efficiency. This will improve the health of patients as they will be operated on sooner, reducing the morbidity and mortality of those waiting for their surgical treatment.

How do you feel your own medical specialism has shaped the development of the Infix solution?

As an Anaesthetist, I think our minds work differently to other specialties as we are regularly looking for solutions to problems that arise in both the acute and long-term settings. I have never been someone to complain about a problem without exploring solutions we could adopt. As an Anaesthetist, you sometimes have to make rapid decisions, but have the agility to know if it is wrong, then you move onto another solution. This has been a great transferable skill to have in the start-up world.

Have any hospitals trialled Infix yet?

NHS Lanarkshire was the first to trial Infix: Schedule, a testament to their foresight and approach. However, as our products integrate within the legacy systems in place across all health boards, this is an ideal tool for all. The waiting list crisis is a global problem and Infix plans to take our company to the international market within the next 2 years.

Do you consider Scotland is leading the rest of the UK in this area, and has the size of the country been a benefit or a disadvantage in developing your business?

In short, no, but the issue of digital transformation within all healthcare is a major challenge and the systems in place are not just about the right software but ingrained behaviour, processes and implementation. Scotland needs to realise that we are a smaller country than we perceive ourselves to be and that we can actually move forward as a more united front. The variations across NHS Scotland are causing problems within our digital strategy as we know we have to work with so many systems that don’t talk to each other.

Do you consider e-Health innovations as the next “big thing” in health improvement?

It is a vital part of how the future of healthcare will improve, but the other basics such as increasing workforce, staff retention and improved training are probably more important than ever.

Business Angels and Mentors have been hugely important in helping to develop your business. Do you feel that this might be something you would want to offer to your peers in the future?

I was told at the beginning of this journey by a mentor, Peter Proud (CEO Forrit), that your greatest value is the network around you and this has been core to my success to date. Having the right team, with the

same mindsets, is important for your company goals, but having connections with other entrepreneurs who have been on this journey and have met the same challenges, reduces the loneliness of life as a start-up. Mentors also gave me nuggets of information that have allowed me to avoid some critical errors. The ability to reciprocate this and give something back to future startups is something that is really important to me.

The NHS is continually dealing with increased demand and limited or decreasing resources. What one improvement would you make if you held the purse strings?

Spend money on incentivising staff who are performing well. The more you invest into your staff the greater the retention, quality and mental well-being, which all leads to a significant increase in the quality of patient care.

ABOUT DR MATTHEW FREER

After school Dr Freer studied Medicine at Glasgow University and has worked as a Consultant Anaesthetist, before forming Infix Support, which was inspired by a keen interest in digital software.

What drew you to anaesthesia as a specialism?

As a Junior Doctor, I was always fascinated when an Anaesthetist took our sickest patients off our hands with such a calm approach. I always thrived in stressful situations so it felt like a speciality for me. I was never a fan of ward rounds, clinics and wearing shirts so Anaesthetics is a perfect fit.

What do you feel has been your greatest personal achievement in the NHS?

I have led the introduction of the rectus sheath catheter service, (a delivery of pain control following abdominal surgery), in Forth Valley which became the leading hospital in Scotland for this procedure and is now recognised as one of the highest patient outputs across the UK.

What is your over-riding passion - medical practice or business innovation?

Although my passion for Anaesthesia will never be lost, I know creating and leading a business in the healthcare innovation sector has clearly been what I was destined to do in life. There are instinctive traits required in the business world which should be nurtured from school age.

In an ideal world, where would you see Infix over the next five to ten years?

We have a roadmap going forward but you have to allow changes to be organic and not resist your defined path. Certainly in 10 years we will have secured an exit with a company that shares the same ethical beliefs that we have to improve healthcare, with quality at its core.

Away from the world of medicine and business start-ups, what are your other passions or interests?

I greatly appreciate time spent with my amazing family, so if I had a choice, I would happily live in the Alps and snowboard all winter and mountain bike all summer. Together with music, these allow me to completely switch off to all the noise we have in life.

What advice would you give to a young Aloysian or senior pupil who aspires to a career in Medicine?

Only do Medicine if you undertake some work experience and feel your personality fits with the job. Grades and pressure from peers/family should never be a driver in the decision. It is an incredibly tough job with long hours and some brutal exposure to life. In saying this, if it is what you want to do, then the rewards completely outweigh the stresses we encounter.

I think the best trait to have in the medical world is humility. You will make mistakes, but if you are not willing to own them, reflect and learn, then it could overwhelm you. I have experienced my fair share of failures along the way but acknowledge that this has helped to make me a stronger and more resilient person.