HQIP

What HQIP does

HQIP (Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership Ltd) is an independent UK charity, founded in April 2008 and registered in England and Wales (Company No. 6498947; Registered Charity No. 1127049), that commissions, manages and promotes the largest national clinical audit and patient outcome programme in the UK on behalf of NHS England, the Welsh Government, the Department of Health and other devolved nations. Its flagship offering, the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcome Programme (NCAPOP), comprises approximately 38 national clinical audits and clinical outcome review projects plus the National Joint Registry, spanning cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, end-of-life care, maternity/perinatal/neonatal, mental health, musculoskeletal, neurology/stroke, paediatrics, respiratory and surgery. HQIP operates the National Clinical Audit Benchmarking (NCAB) tool, integrated with the NHS Model Health System, and publishes reports and resources that are openly accessible to NHS providers, commissioners, regulators and the public.

Underlying technology centres on national-scale data management infrastructure for clinical audit datasets, a governance backbone for data sharing (the NCAPOP Data Access Request Group, supported by an HRA-CAG overarching research database approval under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006), and public-facing benchmarking and reporting assets. The organisation holds Cyber Essentials Plus certification, is registered as an ICO Data Controller (Z1780946), and operates within UK GDPR / DPA 2018 frameworks. Its products and services extend beyond NCAPOP into quality improvement advisory, clinical audit methodology support, patient and community engagement (including the paid Service User Network), and value-based procurement advisory.

HQIP's business model is government commissioning: NHS England, Welsh Government and devolved nations fund NCAPOP and the National Joint Registry as recurring subscriptions, making HQIP operationally free at point of use for NHS organisations and the public. A small supplementary revenue stream comes from copyright fees for third-party commercial reuse of HQIP materials (£100 administration fee, £500 per figure/table/chart, £200 per page, £250 per journal article), while NHS, charities, educational publishers and other non-profit uses are exempt. Distribution runs through direct commissioning relationships, programme delivery via Royal Colleges, universities and NHS bodies (including the NHS Benchmarking Network), and a self-serve open-access layer via the HQIP website and NHS Model Health System. Customer segments span NHS healthcare providers (trusts, hospitals, ICBs), healthcare commissioners (NHS England, Welsh Government, ICBs), regulators (CQC), clinical audit and quality-improvement professionals, NCAPOP programme providers, and patients, carers and the public.

Name

HQIP

Legal name

Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership Ltd

Website

https://www.hqip.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HQIP is an independent UK charity that commissions, manages and promotes the largest national clinical audit and patient outcome programme (NCAPOP) on behalf of NHS England and the Welsh Government, serving NHS providers, commissioners, regulators, clinical audit professionals and patients with publicly available healthcare quality data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Quality Improvement Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLACAOAM

Real-World Data (RWD) / Real-World Evidence (RWE) & Observational Research Platforms

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Digital Health & Health IT/Clinical Trials & Research Informatics (eCOA/ePRO/EDC)

Keywords

• Clinical audit programmes
• Healthcare quality improvement
• Patient outcome reviews
• Clinical benchmarking data
• NHS health registries

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government commissioning: HQIP is commissioned and funded by NHS England, Department of Health, Welsh Government, and other devolved nations to manage the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) and the National Joint Registry (NJR). This forms the primary revenue stream.
2. Data access and copyright fees: HQIP charges fees for copyright requests for use of HQIP materials. Fees apply per figure/table/chart (£500), per page (£200), per journal article (£250), plus a standard administration fee of £100. Free for charities, UK publicly funded organisations, educational publishers, NHS, and non-profit uses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HQIP manages the largest national clinical audit and outcome review programme in the UK (NCAPOP), commissioned by NHS England, Welsh Government and others. It comprises approximately 38 national clinical audit and clinical outcome review projects, plus the National Joint Registry, covering conditions from cancer to mental health. HQIP provides publicly available data trusted by patients and clinicians, supports quality improvement, and offers advisory services in clinical audit, patient engagement, and value-based procurement.

Product overview

HQIP operates as an independent charity managing the largest national clinical audit and outcome review programme in the UK on behalf of NHS England, Welsh Government and others. The core product is the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcome Programme (NCAPOP), comprising approximately 38 projects including national clinical audits, clinical outcome reviews, and registries covering conditions from asthma to vascular health. Supporting services include quality improvement advisory, clinical audit support, patient engagement, and value-based procurement services. Key programme portfolios include the National Joint Registry (NJR), Child Health Clinical Outcome Review Programme (via NCEPOD), National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA), National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL), and newer additions like the National Audit of Eating Disorders (NAED). Additional offerings include the online benchmarking tool (NCAB), NHS Model Health System integration, Service User Network (SUN) for patient involvement, the Association of Clinical Audit, Registries and Quality Improvement (ACAR-QI), Data Access Request Group (DARG) for secondary data use, annual Clinical Audit Awareness Week events with Excellence in Clinical Audit Awards, plus resources including recommendations repository, guidance, online learning, and Quality Accounts support. The portfolio provides publicly available data trusted by patients and clinicians for evidence-based healthcare improvement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcome Programme (NCAPOP)
• National Joint Registry (NJR)
• Quality Improvement Services
• Clinical Audit Services
• Patient and Community Engagement Services
• Value-Based Procurement Services
• Online Benchmarking Tool (NCAB)
• Service User Network (SUN)
• Association of Clinical Audit, Registries and Quality Improvement (ACAR-QI)
• Data Access Request Group (DARG)
• National Audit of Eating Disorders (NAED)

Quantifiable outcome

• Case identification for secondary fracture prevention improved from 22.7% (2021) to 80% (3,015 cases) in 2025, double the national benchmark of 40%, achieved five years ahead of schedule.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NHS EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2008NHS England is the primary commissioner of HQIP's national clinical audit and outcome review programmes (NCAPOP and NJR). HQIP manages these programmes on behalf of NHS England, which funds a significant portion of HQIP's work. HQIP is joint data controller with NHS England for the England component of NCAPOP.
• Welsh GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2008The Welsh Government is a commissioning partner of HQIP, funding and commissioning national clinical audit and quality improvement programmes. HQIP is joint data controller with Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) for the Wales component of NCAPOP.
• Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2008DHCW is joint data controller with HQIP for the Wales component of NCAPOP. DHCW represents the Welsh health and care digital infrastructure and works with HQIP to manage and govern data from Welsh NHS organisations.
• Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2008The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges is a founding leader of HQIP alongside the Royal College of Nursing. It provides governance oversight and clinical leadership across the spectrum of medical specialties represented by its constituent Royal Colleges.
• Royal College of Nursing (RCN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2008The Royal College of Nursing is a founding leader of HQIP alongside the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. It provides nursing leadership and governance oversight for HQIP's nursing and allied health professional-facing work.
• Royal College of Physicians (RCP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal College of Physicians is listed as a partner on the HQIP website, alongside other Royal Colleges and healthcare bodies. RCP delivers NCAPOP programmes including the National Clinical Audit of Psychosis (NCAP).
• Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal College of Surgeons of England is listed as a partner on the HQIP website. The college contributes surgical expertise to national clinical audit programmes.
• Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCPCH delivers the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) and is listed as a partner on the HQIP website. It contributes child health expertise to national clinical audit programmes.
• Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal College of Anaesthetists is listed as a partner on the HQIP website, contributing anaesthetic and perioperative care expertise to national clinical audit programmes.
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCOG is listed as a partner on the HQIP website and contributes obstetric and gynaecological expertise to national clinical audit programmes including maternity and perinatal audits.
• Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal College of Psychiatrists is listed as a partner on the HQIP website and contributes mental health expertise to national clinical audit programmes.
• Royal College of Nursing (RCN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal College of Nursing is listed as a partner on the HQIP website, providing nursing leadership across national clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Care Quality Commission is listed as a partner on the HQIP website. As the independent regulator of health and social care in England, the CQC uses NCAPOP data to inform its inspection and oversight activities.
• NHS Benchmarking NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHS Benchmarking Network is listed as a partner on the HQIP website. It delivers the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL) and provides benchmarking infrastructure used across NHS services.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKing's College London is listed as a partner on the HQIP website, contributing academic and research expertise to national clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
• British Society of Rheumatology (BSR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe British Society of Rheumatology is listed as a partner on the HQIP website, contributing rheumatology expertise to national clinical audit programmes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care: Australian government agency that develops and operates national clinical audit, standards, and quality improvement programmes for the Australian health system. Most direct international equivalent to HQIP's national audit commissioning role.
• Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI): Canadian national organisation that collects, analyses, and publishes health data to inform policy and improve care quality. Comparable to HQIP in mandate and structure, providing pan-Canadian health system performance measurement and benchmarking.
• NCEPOD (National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death): UK organisation that commissions and delivers confidential enquiries and clinical outcome reviews. HQIP actually commissions NCEPOD to deliver programmes such as the Child Health Clinical Outcome Review Programme, making them both peer and delivery partner.
• NHS Benchmarking Network: UK membership network that delivers benchmarking services across NHS providers, including delivery of NACEL on behalf of HQIP. Operates comparable benchmarking infrastructure and audience (NHS providers, commissioners) to HQIP.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): UK statutory body that produces national guidance, quality standards, and indicators for the NHS. Operates in an adjacent space of national health quality oversight and uses clinical audit data, but focuses on guidelines and cost-effectiveness rather than direct audit commissioning.
• The Joint Commission: US-based independent organisation that accredits and certifies healthcare organisations and programmes, using performance measurement data to drive quality improvement. Comparable function to HQIP's role in national clinical audit but focused on accreditation.
• NHS England (Digital/Data functions): HQIP's primary commissioning counterparty and joint data controller. Operates the Model Health System into which HQIP's NCAB benchmarking tool integrates. Represents both the principal customer and an internal alternative provider of national health data and quality functions.

Regional players

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): US federal agency focused on healthcare quality and safety research, including national quality measurement programmes. Comparable in mission to HQIP but operates in the US regulatory and provider environment rather than the NHS.
• National Quality Forum (NQF): US-based organisation that convenes healthcare stakeholders to develop and endorse quality measures and standards. Comparable to HQIP's convening role across Royal Colleges, NHS bodies, and patient communities in the UK.

Emerging players

• International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM): Global non-profit that defines standard sets of patient-centred outcome measures and drives value-based care adoption. Operates in the same outcomes measurement and benchmarking space as HQIP but with global rather than UK-only scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hqip
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/healthcare-quality-improvement-partnership-hqip-

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HQIP