Health Education and Improvement Wales

What Health Education and Improvement Wales does

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is a Special Health Authority operating under Welsh Government oversight with an all-Wales remit to lead strategic workforce planning, education, training, and leadership development for NHS Wales. Established on 1 October 2018 by merging the Wales Deanery, NHS Wales Workforce Education and Development Services (WEDS), and the Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE), HEIW consolidates national workforce functions into a single statutory body. The organisation serves NHS Wales health boards, trusts, and the full range of healthcare professionals across Wales, including approximately 3,000 training-grade doctors and dentists, 9,500 non-medical students, 2,500+ pharmacists, 1,600+ dentists, 3,400 dental care professionals, 700+ optometrists, and 3,300 new non-medical health profession students annually.

HEIW's core digital products include Y Ty Dysgu (the national e-learning platform), CODI (a postgraduate training management system), the Digital Capability Framework, and a comprehensive suite of simulation-based education resources including the Simulation Faculty Development Programme and the 2026-launched UK-wide Professional Development Framework for Multi-Professional Simulation. Supporting these are the Quality Improvement Skills Training (QIST) programme, the Primary and Community Care Academy Model, and the NHS Wales Accelerated Clinical Skills Training Model. The technology stack is built on Microsoft SharePoint (Data and Analytics Portal), Microsoft Teams for virtual delivery, and a sustainability e-learning module deployed via the ESR system. AI capabilities are positioned as a workforce-education enabler through an AI Education Framework rather than as proprietary AI products.

The business model is entirely public-sector: HEIW is funded through Welsh Government grant-in-aid allocations and does not generate commercial revenue, with services delivered free at point of use to NHS Wales. GTM operates as an enterprise-style field engagement with health boards, trusts, universities, and professional bodies, anchored in the statutory remit that excludes operations in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Name

Health Education and Improvement Wales

Legal name

Health Education and Improvement Wales

Website

https://heiw.nhs.wales

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Health Education and Improvement Wales is a statutory Special Health Authority that provides education, training, workforce planning, and digital/AI capability development for the NHS Wales healthcare workforce, funded by Welsh Government and serving health boards, trusts, and professionals across Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantgarw

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: As a Special Health Authority operating within NHS Wales, HEIW is funded through Welsh Government public funding. The organisation does not generate commercial revenue but receives government allocation to fulfil its statutory education and workforce development functions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is a Special Health Authority that provides strategic workforce planning, education commissioning, and training services for NHS Wales. It delivers national e-learning through Y Ty Dysgu, postgraduate training management via CODI, simulation-based education programmes, and develops digital and AI capability frameworks for the healthcare workforce. The organisation was formed in 2018 by merging the Wales Deanery, WEDS, and WCPPE.

Product overview

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) operates as a unified platform for NHS Wales workforce education and training, combining multiple integrated products and services. The core offerings include Y Ty Dysgu (national e-learning platform) and CODI (postgraduate training management system) as primary digital platforms. Supporting these are simulation-based education services with the Simulation Faculty Development Programme and the 2026-launched Professional Development Framework for Multi-Professional Simulation. The product suite also includes Digital Capability Framework, Quality Improvement Skills Training (QIST), Education and Training Plan, and recruitment services for specialty, foundation and GP training. The All Wales Simulation-Based Education and Training Strategy provides overarching coordination. AI education capabilities are being developed through an AI education framework. All services are delivered through the heiw.nhs.wales web platform with SharePoint-based data analytics support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Y Ty Dysgu (National E-Learning Platform) National e-learning platform providing flexible access to training and development resources for healthcare staff across NHS Wales.
• CODI System Digital system to support the management of professionals in postgraduate training, modernising healthcare education management.
• Simulation-Based Education Programme All Wales simulation-based education and training programme including faculty development, professional development frameworks, and resources for healthcare simulation training.
• Quality Improvement Skills Training (QIST) Training programme to build quality improvement skills across NHS Wales workforce.
• Digital Capability Framework Framework to embed core digital skills across all professions in NHS Wales, supporting the digital readiness of the healthcare workforce.
• Recruitment for Specialty, Foundation and GP Training National recruitment services for medical training programmes including specialty, foundation and GP training positions.
• Education and Training Plan (ETP) Strategic planning framework for education and training provision across NHS Wales.
• Primary and Community Care Academy Model Academy model to develop the healthcare workforce based in primary and community settings, enabling patients to see appropriate experts closer to home.
• NHS Wales Accelerated Clinical Skills Training Model Training model to expedite effective training for staff in key clinical skills through a structured, consistent, high-quality approach (Phase one focuses on endoscopy).
• Professional Development Framework for Multi-Professional Simulation in Health and Care UK-wide framework providing a clear structure to support simulation practitioners at every career stage covering five domains: education, technology, scholarship, leadership and transformative practice.
• Simulation Faculty Development Programme Standardised simulation faculty development programme with three courses (Essential, Advanced and Expert levels) for facilitators and technicians in simulation, delivered face-to-face and virtually.
• Climate Smart Education and Training Action Plan Education and training action plan with 60 multiprofessional and profession-specific actions grouped by six sustainability themes for NHS Wales workforce.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Wales DeanerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018One of three predecessor organisations merged to form HEIW on 1 October 2018. The Wales Deanery provided postgraduate medical and dental education and training across Wales.
• NHS Wales Workforce Education and Development Services (WEDS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018One of three predecessor organisations merged to form HEIW on 1 October 2018. WEDS provided workforce education and development services for NHS Wales.
• Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018One of three predecessor organisations merged to form HEIW on 1 October 2018. WCPPE provided pharmacy professional education across Wales.
• Welsh GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW operates under Welsh Government guidance and its work is aligned with national policy and the Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Wales.
• Universities and Education ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW works with universities and education providers to commission and deliver education and training programmes for healthcare professionals.
• Professional Bodies and RegulatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW works closely with professional bodies and regulators to support education, training, and service regulation.
• Public Health WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW works closely with Public Health Wales to embed prevention across the health workforce, support staff wellbeing, strengthen NHS's ability to respond to health challenges, and shape a public health workforce ready for future needs.
• Digital Health and Care WalescoreTechnology or IntegrationHEIW works closely with Digital Health and Care Wales to ensure consistency and alignment with national standards, tools and digital platforms being introduced across NHS Wales.
• Genomics Partnership WalesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW is delivering the Genomics Workforce Plan in partnership with Genomics Partnership Wales to support personalised and precision medicine through targeted education and upskilling.
• Advanced Therapies WalesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIW is working with Advanced Therapies Wales to develop the skills needed to safely deliver advanced cell and gene therapies in NHS Wales.
• Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative development of the Professional Development Framework for multi-professional Simulation in Health and Care across the four UK nations, Ireland and ASPiH.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Genomics Partnership Wales: Welsh partnership delivering the Genomics Workforce Plan with HEIW. Direct strategic partner and peer-like entity in advanced workforce education for precision medicine across NHS Wales.
• Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW): Welsh Government arm's-length body providing national digital, data, and technology services for NHS Wales. DHCW is a core strategic partner of HEIW on digital platforms (Y Ty Dysgu, CODI, SharePoint Data Portal) and operates in the same Welsh statutory health ecosystem.
• Public Health Wales: Welsh Government national public health agency, working closely with HEIW on prevention, workforce wellbeing, and embedding public health across the NHS Wales workforce. Peer in the broader Welsh health ecosystem but with a different core mandate.
• Skills for Care: England-focused workforce development organisation for adult social care. Comparable in workforce education remit but operating in social care rather than healthcare and limited to England — useful as a comparator for HEIW's Primary and Community Care Academy model.

Broad incumbents

• NHS England Workforce, Training and Education (formerly Health Education England): The English equivalent workforce education body, responsible for NHS workforce planning and education commissioning in England. Directly comparable in mandate and functions to HEIW but operating at much larger scale (~5.5x Wales population). Both are now part of NHS England following HEE's 2023 merger.

Direct peers

• NHS Education for Scotland (NES): Scotland's national health board for education, training, and workforce development. NES is the closest direct peer to HEIW in structure, remit, and statutory role — both are Special Health Authorities providing healthcare education and digital learning platforms, with NES being a useful comparator for HEIW's operational scale.
• Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA): Northern Ireland's body responsible for postgraduate medical and dental training. A direct peer of HEIW's Wales Deanery legacy functions, though narrower in scope (medical/dental only versus HEIW's multi-professional mandate).

Others

• Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH): UK professional association for healthcare simulation. ASPiH is a strategic collaboration partner of HEIW on the Simulation Professional Development Framework and provides ecosystem context for HEIW's simulation-based education leadership.
• Health Foundation: UK health and care improvement charity that funds workforce research, leadership programmes, and policy analysis. The Health Foundation operates adjacently to HEIW's workforce planning and leadership development functions, particularly around NHS workforce strategy.
• NHS Leadership Academy: Provides leadership development and talent management for NHS staff across England. Functionally comparable to HEIW's Leadership portfolio (talent, succession, management programmes), though serving a different nation and operating under a different statutory framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HEIW_NHS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HEIWAaGIC
• Facebookfacebook.com/HEIW.NHS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nhs-heiw

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Health Education and Improvement Wales