Why we built ECHO Communication
The Problem
Primary Care in the UK is under intense financial pressure. Flat or falling real terms funding, rising
costs and growing patient demand have left many practices trying to do more with less. Every
year, more surgeries close or merge, lists grow larger and remaining practices carry the cost of
unfunded work and hidden admin that doesn’t show up on the balance sheet.
The evidence is stark. The number of GP practices in England has fallen by 20% in a decade
while patient lists have grown by 40%. More than a quarter of GP teams fear their practice could
be forced to close, with almost 90% citing unmanageable workload, according to the Royal
College of GPs’ Fit for the Future report (2023). Up to one in three GPs now report symptoms of
burnout and a high intention to leave patient care within five years, according to research from the
University of Manchester (2025). Meanwhile, the NHS prevention budget has been cut by 28% in
real terms over the past decade, creating misaligned incentives that reward reactive treatment
over the proactive care the Long Term Plan depends on, as highlighted by the Office of Health
Economics (2025).
What happens if trends continue?
If this trajectory continues, fewer practices, stretched teams and weaker prevention will translate
into more people presenting later and sicker, greater pressure on urgent and secondary care, and
widening health inequalities in the communities that can least afford it, a risk the BMA, King’s Fund
and NHS England have each independently warned against.
Our Aim
The aim is to support the sustainability and growth of primary care by automating functions that
directly affect the bottom line and free up capacity for higher value work. Over the next decade we
will gather evidence and continuously improve to deliver:
– Improve performance on QOF, DES, LES and IIF.
– Reduce administrative burdens.
– Create capacity for other incentivised work, such as patient recruitment for research.
– Make practice economics visible and easy to understand
– Support at scale delivery, enabling PCNs and federations to run programmes centrally.
Our Mission
Strengthen the financial resilience of primary care.
Automation
Recall, case finding and coding to patient communication, so
income critical work runs
reliably with less manual effort
Insight
Giving practices, PCNs and
federations clear insight into
incentivised activity, equity
gaps and return on
engagement
Capacity
Enabling teams to spend more time on prevention, complex patients, research and community work where they add the most value
Meet the Leadership Team
Our leadership team brings over 35+ years of combined expertise in data-driven communication, user experience, and scalable digital platforms. Together, we’re building the future of intelligent engagement. Blending design, analytics, and AI to help organisations connect with people in smarter, more meaningful ways.
Ludo Royds
Chief Executive Officer
Over 7 years of medical technology experience. Passionate about communication that drives real-world impact.
Jak Moore
Chief Product Officer
Over 10 years experience in patient engagement. Passionate about working alongside users to shape the platform design.
Jirka Orlik
Chief Technology Officer
Over 20 years experience in patient engagement.
Passionate about using data to continuously improve design.
Let’s Build Better Connections Together
Whether you’re transforming communication within your organisation or reaching new audiences, ECHO Communication is here to help.