Find Care Compare was founded in 2024 to address a structural issue within the UK healthcare system: healthcare information inequality.
During my time working in senior operational roles across the NHS — including cancer, neurosciences and health technology — I observed a recurring pattern. Patients were often delayed not because services were unavailable, but because navigating those services was complex.
The UK healthcare system contains extensive clinical expertise and a wide range of publicly funded and private services. However, those services are not always easily visible or comparable from a patient perspective.
As NHS waiting times have increased across England, the ability to understand referral pathways, provider options and eligibility criteria has become increasingly important.
Access to structured information is increasingly shaping access to care.
Healthcare Access in England: A Visibility Challenge
Across England, patients frequently encounter:
- Significant variation in NHS waiting times between providers
- Limited clarity around referral and commissioning pathways
- Uncertainty about eligibility for services such as Right to Choose
- NHS and private systems operating in parallel, without shared visibility
For individuals unfamiliar with how the NHS is structured, navigating these pathways can be challenging — particularly while managing illness or uncertainty.
This creates uneven access. Those with time, confidence or system knowledge are often able to move through the healthcare system more efficiently.
Reducing that imbalance is the core purpose of Find Care Compare.
Building a Healthcare Comparison Platform for the UK
Find Care Compare was created as a neutral healthcare comparison platform designed to improve transparency across NHS and private healthcare services in England.
The platform enables patients to:
- Compare NHS and private providers in one place
- Access structured information about waiting times where available
- Understand referral and eligibility pathways
The objective is not to replace the NHS or existing providers. It is to make the system more legible and navigable.
As digital infrastructure increasingly shapes other sectors, healthcare navigation in the UK requires comparable clarity.
From Operational Experience to HealthTech Infrastructure
Find Care Compare emerged from practical experience within the health system, not from theory alone.
The platform has since developed from an early-stage concept into an operational healthcare navigation tool supporting thousands of users.
Alongside product development, the company has:
- Participated in the King’s College London Start-up Accelerator
- Secured institutional backing through the University of Oxford’s ImpactU programme
- Presented to national and international investor networks, such as at the Schwarzman Scholars Demo Day
These milestones reflect growing recognition that healthcare access is not solely a funding issue. It is also a systems design and transparency challenge.
A Long-Term Perspective on Healthcare Navigation
Healthcare systems were not originally designed around digital comparison or user-level transparency.
As waiting lists increase and referral complexity grows, structured decision-support tools become increasingly important.
Find Care Compare is being built as infrastructure — a neutral layer that improves clarity across the UK healthcare system.
The long-term ambition is straightforward: to make accessing healthcare in England simpler, more transparent and more equitable.
Healthcare navigation should not depend on insider knowledge.
It should be accessible to everyone.
By Roxanne Stevenson-Brown, Founder of Find Care Compare
Building the front door to healthcare