Health Innovation and Education Clusters, known as HIECs, are formal partnerships between NHS organisations, leading education institutes, industry and academia, whose purpose is to promote innovation, quality and productivity in the NHS through training, education and the sharing of best practice across the region.

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. HIECs were first announced by the Department of Health in the Next Stage Review: High Quality Care for All. Seventeen successful HIECs were chosen by an independent award panel in December 2009 after a six month open application process. Projects are being developed across many clinical and disease areas. This work includes the identification and evaluation of new models of delivering care closer to home, empowering people to manage their own health.

Are there any HIECs in London?

We are delighted that three out of seventeen HIECs in the country chosen by the Department of Health are in London. London is second only to the United States for medical research and education. This 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.

The London HIECs are:

Joint North East London, North Central London and Essex HIEC

• Led by Queen Mary University of London
• Partnership North East London Health; University College London Partners; Anglia Ruskin University and its Postgraduate Medical Institute
• Focus on the prevention, acute care and chronic conditions

North West London HIEC

• Led by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Partnership includes Imperial College London and NIHR NWL CLAHRC
• Focus on cancer and cardiovascular services

South London HIEC

• Led by Kings College London
• Partnership between Academic Health and Social Care Network and Kings Health Partners
• Focus on diabetes, mental health, stroke and infection