Capri Healthcare has secured a £320,000 investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), which will enable the company to expand its digital patient referral and automated triage solutions to more hospitals, as well as build more specialty pathways.

By doing so it can help tackle the burgeoning issue of NHS waiting lists, while at the same time improving patient care experiences.

The funding was received through the MEIF West Midlands Equity Fund, managed by Midven.

Huw Sparkes, junior investment manager at Midven, said: “Capri Healthcare’s impressive software is poised to revolutionise the healthcare landscape by addressing the critical issue of NHS waiting lists.

“Their innovative technology has the potential to significantly reduce waiting times and improve patient access to care.”

The company’s flagship product is TriVice, which covers the patient referring and triage process. It uses an artificial intelligence-driven algorithm to allow clinicians from a number of healthcare disciplines to easily raise referrals to any provider, including secondary, tertiary and community services.

Available through an app, specialists gain a single source of all information in priority order, allowing them to quickly accept or reject referrals, streamlining communication and task tracking.

The app integrates with leading electronic patient records (EPR) systems, and is currently being used by clinicians across 19 NHS trusts in the Midlands for clinician-to-clinician communication and referrals to the plastic surgery, ophthalmology and rheumatology departments at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Foundation Trust, whose former chief executive officer, Sarah-Jane Marsh was appointed NHS England’s national director of urgent and emergency care at the end of last year.

Valleesh Athreya, co-founder and director at Capri Healthcare, said: “The investment will enable us to realise the NHS digital-first strategy through innovation and transformation in both public and private healthcare, ensuring timely and patient-centred care for all.

“Our specialty-agnostic approach, configurable pathways, and seamless integration capabilities will empower clinicians, enabling them to tackle the backlog of referrals, enhance overall efficiency, and improve access to specialist services.”