Infix, a Glasgow-founded health technology firm, has successfully deployed its advanced theatre scheduling technology across all 14 of NHS Scotland’s territorial health boards and the national NHS Golden Jubilee hospital. This achievement marks the UK’s first nationwide implementation of probabilistic modelling in optimising surgical theatre operations.
The company’s flagship product, Infix Schedule, employs sophisticated probabilistic modelling to enhance the efficiency and productivity of surgical theatres. This technology aims to reclaim lost theatre capacity, a persistent challenge within healthcare systems globally.
Dr Matthew Freer, CEO and Co-founder of Infix, highlighted the significance of the rollout: “Our technology gives NHS Scotland nationwide coverage with a system designed by clinicians and built inside the NHS to fix one of its most persistent problems, namely operating theatre capacity lost to inefficient scheduling.”
Addressing a Critical NHS Challenge
Inefficient operating theatre scheduling is a long-standing issue for the National Health Service, leading to substantial financial implications and extended patient waiting times. Operating theatres represent some of the most expensive resources within acute NHS trusts, with direct costs estimated at £14 per minute. Industry data indicates that over half of the UK surgical workforce, and 60% in Scotland, view access to theatres as a major challenge. This often results in delayed starts, under-runs, overruns, and cancellations, all of which contribute to the significant backlog in elective care.
In Scotland, waiting lists for elective care remain high. As of March 2025, the total number of patients awaiting inpatient and outpatient treatments stood at 718,000, having peaked at over 728,500 in September 2024. The Scottish Government’s Digital Health and Care Strategy underscores the critical role of digital technologies in addressing these backlogs and increasing NHS capacity.
Recent research led by Professor Jaideep Pandit, a globally recognised authority on operating theatre efficiency and Professor of Anaesthesia at the University of Oxford, evaluated thousands of NHS Scotland surgical lists. The study found that Infix Schedule significantly improved predictions of theatre utilisation compared to traditional surgeon-led booking methods. The technology also demonstrated success in reducing patient cancellations and avoiding theatre overruns. Professor Pandit, who advises the NHS and Deloitte plc on improving theatre performance, has extensively published on surgical operating theatre efficiency, and his work in the field is highly regarded.
An independent evaluation in NHS Lothian further supported these findings, reporting a 26% increase in patient throughput per session and a 25% increase per hour within ophthalmology following Infix’s implementation. These efficiencies were estimated to generate cost savings of approximately 7%, equating to £1.8 million annually.
Dr Freer elaborated on the company’s journey: “I started Infix because, as a clinician, I could see theatre time being lost to a problem that was fixable. Completing a national rollout in such a relatively short timeframe is testament not only to our team, but also to the digital and operational teams across NHS Scotland who helped make it happen – importantly, they didn’t just adopt the technology, they helped shape it.”
International Expansion and Market Dynamics
The successful deployment in Scotland positions Infix for broader market penetration. The company recently established its first international office in Abu Dhabi and is poised to announce a multi-year contract with a significant hospital operator in the Gulf region, marking the initial phase of its global expansion strategy.
Dr Freer stated: “What we’ve proven in Scotland travels. Lost theatre capacity is a global problem, and health systems everywhere are asking the same question – how do we improve productivity within operating rooms without increasing capacity and staff? Taking a solution built inside the NHS to the UAE, and beyond, is the natural next step.”
The healthcare technology market is experiencing rapid growth. The UK digital health market, valued at an estimated USD 15.46 billion in 2025, is projected to reach USD 43.98 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate of 19.10%. Similarly, the UK healthcare IT market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.6% from 2026 to 2033, reaching US$ 115,718.3 million. This growth is driven by a “deployment rush” in 2026, with investors increasingly demanding “profitable growth” and “clinical validation.” From early 2026, the NHS will implement “value-based procurement” guidance, necessitating evidence of long-term patient outcomes and total pathway cost savings from technology providers.
Infix secured a six-figure investment round at the end of 2025 and has made several senior hires over the past year to support its international scaling efforts.
Supporting NHS Scotland’s Structural Reform
The rollout also coincides with a significant restructuring within NHS Scotland. First Minister John Swinney recently announced plans to reduce the current 14 territorial health boards to two strategic health boards, a move described as “the most significant structural reform of our NHS in the devolution era.” This reorganisation aims to foster more integrated and efficient service delivery.
Commenting on these governmental plans, Dr Freer noted: “Infix is in a unique position to support the integration because there is no other existing system that can bring all the waiting list data into one place.” This capability could prove vital as NHS Scotland navigates its ambitious reform agenda.
