Cheshire and Merseyside work on waiting lists highlighted in Financial Times
Tuesday, 13 May 2025
An AI tool being used in Cheshire and Merseyside to identify high-risk patients and support them while they wait for surgery has been featured in a prestigious national newspaper.
The technology provides surgical teams with insights to help them prioritise patients who are at high risk of complications and determine the best course of treatment.
These patients are then offered personalised coaching and self-care advice leading up to and beyond their surgery, significantly improving their clinical outcomes.
One of those patients is Tim Ashcroft, from Winsford, who spoke to The Financial Times about his experience.
The 74-year-old was on the waiting list for surgery to reverse a stoma operation when he was flagged as needing additional support, due to previously having had an operation to remove his oesophagus following a cancer diagnosis.
The Surgery Hero app supported Tim with his diet, exercise and mental health, making him a stronger and safer candidate for surgery.
Tim told the Financial Times:
“When resources are stretched – and they’re certainly more than stretched in the NHS these days – if this is a way where people can get some support on a semi-virtual basis, I think it’s tremendous. It’s a relatively low cost way of doing it as well.”
The technology, developed by company C2-Ai, has helped nearly 1,000 patients like Tim across the region.
Cheshire and Merseyside’s use of the app and Tim’s story was previously featured in The Sunday Times earlier this year.