London-based, Real World Health, a healthcare data analytics company, has closed a £1.37M funding round to support the NHS in optimising data usage and addressing critical challenges such as surgery backlogs and mental health crises. Maven Capital Partners led the round with support from Dowgate Capital, aimed at expanding the commercialisation of Real World Health’s solutions.
Transforming healthcare with AI and machine learning
Real World Health develops AI and machine learning solutions tailored for NHS organisations to enhance the productivity of operating theatres, plan bed capacity, predict mental health crises in children, and more. Their tools have generated annual savings of up to £5.5M for some projects, while supporting millions of patients daily.
The company’s elective theatre optimisation tool, Opfeed, has been particularly impactful. It has demonstrated the ability to reduce theatre running costs by more than £130,000 per theatre, increase the number of patients per session by 18%, and drive down late finish times by 87%.
Enhancing efficiency and tackling backlogs
The NHS possesses a vast amount of patient data, yet extracting actionable insights remains a complex task. Real World Health bridges this gap by combining data science expertise with a deep understanding of NHS pathways. Unlike generic software, their solutions are built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of individual NHS trusts, delivering measurable improvements in operational efficiency and patient care.
Real World Health’s tools help providers maximise data value by using AI, machine learning, and analytical modelling to extract useful information. This aligns with the NHS’s operational plan to use digital, technology, and AI solutions to achieve 2% annual productivity gains over the next five years. Providers can then make more informed decisions around planning, demand and capacity, finance, and resource use.
Addressing surgery backlogs and mental health needs
The funding comes at a critical time for the NHS, with over 7.5M elective procedures backlogged. Real World Health’s Opfeed tool addresses this by streamlining operating theatre productivity by employing AI to transform surgeon notes into classified procedures, machine learning to predict procedure durations, and an algorithm to optimize theatre bookings.
The company also supports mental health services, collaborating with major providers like Central North West London and South London and Maudsley to improve bed capacity planning, admission avoidance, and service productivity. Recognising the mental health crisis among children, Real World Health is developing an AI/ML-powered model in collaboration with a local council to predict mental health crises in children by integrating data across social care, education, and healthcare.
Scaling impact across healthcare systems
To date, Real World Health’s solutions have been used by over seventy organisations in the UK, Middle East, and Australia, improving efficiency and patient outcomes. The new funding will enable the company to expand its reach and enhance its product offerings.
Scott Fletcher, CEO of Real World Health, commented: “The funding secured represents a significant milestone in Real World Health’s mission to equip NHS organisations with the tools they desperately need to unlock the hidden potential within their data. The tangible results we’ve achieved with existing clients, including reducing surgery backlog and improving mental health resource allocation, demonstrate the transformative potential of our solutions. This investment fuels our ability to deliver this impact on a wider scale, ultimately contributing to a more efficient, sustainable, and patient-centred NHS.”
Alex Sleigh, Investment Director at Maven Capital Partners, added: “Real World Health has deep industry insight and has been able to demonstrate a consistent track record in delivering return on investment for its clients. We are pleased to continue our support of the business and we’re keen to see the positive impact this will bring to patient care and outcomes.”
About Real World Health
Real World Health is a healthcare and life sciences data solution provider dedicated to helping its clients achieve more with their data. As a trusted partner to the NHS for over 10 years, the company has delivered millions in savings through its analytics and transformation solutions. Central to their approach is the use of predictive and prescriptive data analytics to drive outstanding patient outcomes.
