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London comes together to improve innovation in healthcare

More patients are to benefit from revolutionary NHS care and treatment in London after three formal partnerships across industries were announced in the capital to take innovation in health services to a new level.

Three out of 17 Health Innovation and Education Clusters in the country are to be based in London, Health Minister Ann Keen has confirmed today. The decision means that more time, resource, and commitment will be given to teaching innovative practices to healthcare staff early on in their training. This will result in new treatments and a better standard of service being delivered to patients more quickly.

Health Innovation and Education Clusters, known as HIECs, are formal partnerships between NHS organisations, leading medical education institutes, industry and academia. Their purpose is to promote innovation, quality and productivity in the NHS through the training and education of healthcare staff and to share best practice across the capital. Stephen Webb, Director of Innovation at NHS London said:

“To bring real benefits to patients we must get better, safer and faster at what we do. Innovation is the key to unlocking new ways of working to deliver personalised care closer to where people live. Innovation will also help us drive up the high standards of care in the NHS and make the best possible use of resources for the taxpayer.

“London is second only to the United States for medical research and education. Through collaboration with the world-renowned organisations based in the capital, we can share this knowledge with up-and-coming healthcare professionals as they learn. Through their expertise, we will transform health services in London to the standards people expect.”

The decision to establish three HIECs in the capital is the second coup for the city after three of the UK's first Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) were formed in London.

Taking innovation from design to delivery to benefit patients is a major part of the Strategic Health Authority's Healthcare for London plan to improve the standards of health and healthcare across the capital. Both HIECs and AHSCs will join together the expertise of world-class academic medical research schools and leading NHS organisations to allow cutting-edge medical discoveries to be quickly translated into new techniques and treatments.

London HIECs will focus specifically on developing a high-performing and innovative workforce, and spreading skills and proven innovations across NHS organisations to deliver more integrated care closer to where people live.

The three HIECs in London will each look at different aspects of healthcare and will work together to share learning across the capital. North East London, North Central London and Essex HIEC, lead by Queen Mary University of London, will focus on the prevention of ill health, acute care and chronic conditions. North West London HIEC, lead by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will focus on cancer and cardiovascular services. And South London HIEC, lead by Kings College London, will focus on diabetes, mental heath services, stroke care and infectious diseases.

The 17 successful HIECs were chosen by an independent award panel after a six month open application process. All will collectively be given £11 million to provide professional education and training and promote innovation in healthcare.

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Notes to Editors

1. For more information please contact Dan Pople on 020 7932 3911 or email daniel.pople@london.nhs.uk. Out of hours contact 0844 822 2888 and ask for pager Lon01.
2. Health Innovations and Eductiaon Clusters (HIECs) were first announced by the Department of Health in the NHS London Next Stage Review: High Quality Care for All. HIECs bring together organisations from across several sectors – based on partnerships between NHS organisations (primary, secondary and tertiary care), the higher education sector (universities and colleges), industry (healthcare and non-healthcare industries) and other public and private sector organisations. Their purpose is to enable high quality patient care and services by bringing the benefits of research and innovation directly to patients through improving and coordinating professional education and training so that it has the breadth and depth to support excellence.
3. Five Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) in the UK were confirmed in March 2009. All were chosen by a panel of internationally renowned clinicians and researchers for demonstrating international excellence in biomedical research, education and patient care. The AHSCs in London are Imperial College London, King's Health Partners and University College London Partners.