As we enter 2026, it is a perfect opportunity to reflect over the last year of THRIVE, Inform People’s procedure tracking and data provision tool for the NHS, and the impact it has had on the people who have been using it. THRIVE has expanded into new disciplines, with the potential for even more expansion in 2026, and it has incorporated some new features whilst also having truly branched out – now being used beyond the North West.

Designed initially for Endoscopy procedure tracking, THRIVE has continued to significantly advance its presence within the sector, with successful trials in two new Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), where it received very positive feedback from on-the-ground users and stakeholders. However, securing funding continues to be a primary barrier to wider growth even with the proof from trials to show the potential of embedding THRIVE into the everyday in these departments. 

Within existing ICBs across the North West,  there has been a shift in focus for us to produce more regional-level reports than ever before; this has only been possible with the expansion of THRIVE into additional hospitals and is giving senior leadership teams even greater insight into performance improvements across their regions. Towards the end of the year, the THRIVE team at Inform People engaged in more detailed conversations at the trust levels too. We are committed to providing not just the technology to track and display data but also to continually engage with the end users, to prevent knowledge silos and to facilitate best practice across the UK. 

Insights gained during conversations with THRIVE-using teams have both validated existing knowledge and revealed genuinely new performance opportunities; we have seen how this is prompting teams to seek a deeper understanding of how to make valuable changes and action the data provided to them in their reports. Thus enabling them to build a more effective day-to-day, to reduce waiting lists, and to plan ahead with a deeper understanding.

These moments of collaboration have also helped to review the impact of the procedural points system. Points are somewhat unique to the Endoscopy departments compared to other diagnostic procedures but have been fundamental in helping these departments understand their productivity. In particular it has been possible to identify and confirm the known variations in colonoscopy timings and point allocations. Analysis highlighted that scheduling assumptions for OGDs and Flexi-Sigs, two of the highest-volume procedures, are inaccurate. Data showed that only one or two sites are achieving these procedures within the correct and expected timeframes. Crucially, the issue was identified (when looking at the detailed data) to not be caused by the time taken to complete the procedure itself, but as inefficiencies in room turnaround and the surrounding support processes instead. 

All these Endoscopy insights are empowering teams to make changes, see their impact and remain flexible to keep making vital improvements to support the health of patients across the UK. 

Beyond Endoscopy

One of the biggest achievements for THRIVE in 2025 has been the expansion beyond Endoscopy departments, as it has grown to encompass procedural data collection for Physiological Sciences and Imaging too. These additional clinical disciplines follow a similar structure where a single procedure takes place in a room, there is a turnaround time between, and another singular procedure takes place afterwards: THRIVE is designed as a Stop/Start timer specifically for this setup.  

THRIVE is now being used with Physiological Sciences departments that cover disciplines such as  Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiology (specifically ECGs and Echos). This rollout included one site in Cheshire & Merseyside as part of an advanced trial and extended to 75% of Greater Manchester before the end of the year. These sites now receive a weekly Physiological Sciences report, enabling data-driven discussions with comparable metrics and giving trusts visibility into the high volume of activity in these traditionally smaller services. 

Our involvement in the rollout process of THRIVE in these spaces also flagged significant disparities in the time allocated for the same procedure across different locations, which THRIVE can now assist in bringing inline so that they can be compared fairly.

Expansion also began in Imaging, focusing on CT, MR, Interventional Radiology, and Ultrasound. While CT and MR proved initially challenging due to different working methods, the rollout for Ultrasound and Interventional Radiology was smoother and has gone over extremely well. This was notably demonstrated at The Christie, which served as the pioneer pilot site for THRIVE for Imaging, largely thanks to Greg Royle. Efforts there are now focused on implementing system-level changes to improve data recording and generating ongoing clearer insights.

Key Learnings from 2025 and Product Development for 2026

The experiences of 2025 revealed that while THRIVE is easy to implement and use, it does have some restrictions for data input when situations change mid-session. In response, a key development goal for 2026 is to introduce greater flexibility for certain valid use cases.  One example that we have started to address comes from Cardiology, where procedures can dynamically change mid-session. The plan is to build a feature to capture these changes, which will also enable reporting on their frequency, a currently unknown metric.

Another major product initiative for 2026 is the development of cross-discipline reporting. This will allow an individual trust to monitor its overall diagnostic performance seamlessly across Endoscopy, Physiological Sciences, and Imaging from a single viewpoint. In addition, new disciplines identified at the end of 2025, including DEXA scanning (under Imaging) and Cath Lab procedures (as a standalone category), are aiming to be rolled out early in 2026. As client understanding grows, the strategy is to build on the existing platform by introducing new features and reporting overviews in response to user requests.

Strategic Growth

The plan, already in progress, for 2026 is centered on natural growth towards national expansion. A major milestone is with the East of England, marking THRIVE’s first full region rollout outside of the North West. This implementation will involve several trial trusts with a focus on Imaging, Cath Lab, and Physiological Sciences – with one site already live and others scheduled for Q1 2026. To support this growth, significant enhancements have been made to the weekly and monthly reports based directly on user feedback, making insights more accessible. The data provided by THRIVE is proving to be not only more available but also more accurate and up-to-date than existing hospital systems.

Engagement and marketing are also a key focus for Inform People with regard to THRIVE. Success at the HSJ and Convensis events in 2025, where the Endoscopy aspect was well-received, and focus groups for Imaging and Physiological Sciences, have set the stage for future outreach. As THRIVE grows, reports can increasingly shine a light and the team can share best practices and innovative ideas across the entire user base. 

The overarching goal is to build on the current momentum, bring more disciplines on board, and execute a national rollout, positioning Inform People and THRIVE as a leader in NHS performance analytics.

To get THRIVE in your hospital, email us for a demo: info@informpeople.com