NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation

What NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation does

The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) is a statutory health organisation of the State of New South Wales, established in January 2010 following the Garling Special Commission of Inquiry into Acute Care Services. It is the NSW Health pillar agency responsible for designing and implementing clinically-led innovation across the state's public health system. ACI operates through 35+ clinical networks spanning virtually every medical specialty (from Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing to Violence, Abuse and Neglect), over 120 consumer community members, and six statewide programs including the AI Framework for NSW Health, the Critical Intelligence Unit, the Patient Reported Measures (PRMs) program, the Virtual Care program, the Emergency Care Assessment and Treatment (ECAT) program, and the Health and the Arts Framework (2024–2032). Supporting infrastructure includes the Innovation Exchange platform, a Research Grant Scheme, a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Redesign, the Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM), clinical quality registries (Trauma, Neonatal), and mobile applications (Trauma App, Eye Emergency App). ACI transferred from Board-governed to Chief Executive-governed status in February 2023 and is now part of the Clinical Innovation and Research Division within NSW Health, led by Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque as Deputy Secretary and Chief Executive.

ACI's technology stack is built around clinical network collaboration, evidence-based decision support, and statewide data registries rather than a unified software product. Its proprietary technical components include the NSW Health AI Framework (a risk-based, seven-priority-area framework for responsible AI adoption), the Critical Intelligence Unit (living evidence summaries, evidence reviews, and weekly Evidence Digest), Clinical Quality Registries with a governed Data Request Platform, the Clinical Genomics Model of Care and Toolkit, and the Co-design Toolkit. The agency sits at 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards, NSW, with 223 employees operating across all NSW local health districts and specialty networks.

ACI does not operate a commercial revenue model. It is funded by the NSW Government through the Clinical Innovation and Research Division, and all of its services, clinical guidelines, models of care, and programs are provided at no cost to NSW Health staff, clinicians, local health districts, and the public. Distribution is exclusively domestic (NSW only) and is delivered through NSW Health's existing health service infrastructure rather than commercial channels. ACI's go-to-market is a community-led engagement model: clinicians, consumers, and system leaders are recruited onto clinical networks at multiple engagement levels (inform, engage, involve, collaborate, empower), with statewide programs rolled out through local health districts and specialty networks. There is no external shareholder base, no venture or private equity exposure, and no commercial pricing as the agency is a government entity.

Name

NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation

Legal name

Agency for Clinical Innovation

Website

https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation is a statutory health organisation within NSW Health that designs and implements clinically-led healthcare innovation across New South Wales through 35+ clinical specialty networks, statewide programs (AI Framework, Critical Intelligence Unit, Virtual Care, Patient Reported Measures), and clinical quality registries serving clinicians, patients, and local health districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Innovation Services

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (92312)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Quality Assurance (GCP QA, TMF/QMS oversight) (HLAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

eCOA/ePRO/eDiary & Patient-Facing Data Collection (HLACAOAB)

Keywords

• Clinical innovation
• Healthcare redesign
• Clinical networks
• Evidence-based medicine
• Care delivery models

Headquarters

HQ city

St Leonards

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The ACI is a statutory health organisation within NSW Health, funded by the NSW Government through the Clinical Innovation and Research Division. As a pillar organisation of NSW Health, it receives public funding to support its mission of designing and implementing clinical innovations across NSW.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) is a statutory health organization that designs and implements clinical innovations across the NSW public health system through 35+ clinical specialty networks, statewide programs (Critical Intelligence Unit, Patient Reported Measures, Virtual Care, AI Framework), innovation platforms, clinical quality registries, and capability-building offerings (Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Redesign, Research Grant Scheme). It partners with clinicians, consumers, and NSW Health local health districts to develop models of care, guidelines, toolkits, and mobile applications that improve patient outcomes.

Product overview

The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) is a statutory health organization that does not operate a unified software product but rather delivers a portfolio of clinical networks, statewide programs, and capability-building offerings. Its core structure consists of 35 clinical specialty networks (e.g., Cardiac, Trauma, Spinal Cord Injury, Pain Management) that develop models of care, guidelines, and toolkits. Statewide programs include the AI Framework for NSW Health (responsible AI adoption framework, Feb 2026), the Emergency Care Assessment and Treatment (ECAT) Program, the Critical Intelligence Unit (evidence synthesis), the Patient Reported Measures (PRMs) Program, the Virtual Care Program, and the Health and the Arts Framework. Supporting infrastructure includes the Innovation Exchange platform for sharing healthcare improvement projects, a Research Grant Scheme, a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Redesign, and clinical quality registries with governed data access. ACI also produces mobile applications for burn trauma and eye emergencies. The organization functions as an innovation enablement and coordination body for NSW Health rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Networks

Quantifiable outcome

• Statewide programs reach all NSW public health services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NSW Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010The ACI partners with the NSW Ministry of Health as part of NSW Health's pillar structure. The ACI is part of the Clinical Innovation and Research Division and works closely with the Office for Health and Medical Research to achieve better value in healthcare.
• NSW Local Health DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI works with all NSW local health districts to implement new ways of delivering care, providing clinical networks, implementation support, and redesign capabilities.
• NSW Health Specialty NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI collaborates with specialty health networks across NSW as partners in clinical innovation and implementation of statewide programs.
• Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI works in close partnership with the Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) on improving maternity and neonatal care across NSW. Clinicians and consumers are included in everything the ACI and CEC do together.
• Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI Maternity and Neonatal Network works in close partnership with the Clinical Excellence Commission on the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Program, addressing safety and quality issues for mothers and babies.
• eHealth NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI works in partnership with eHealth NSW to support the ongoing adoption and implementation of innovative virtual care services across NSW.
• Health InfrastructuremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Infrastructure collaborates with the ACI on arts-in-health projects such as the Journey Stories project for the Coffs Harbour Health Campus Expansion, engaging new arrival communities in co-design.
• Pride in DiversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI is a member of the national LGBTQ+ inclusion support program Pride in Diversity, and partners with ACON to improve the experience for staff who identify as LGBTIQ+ and to educate allies.
• NSW Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AH&MRC Ethics Committee must approve certain data requests related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people when one or more criteria apply, per Closing The Gap Priority Reform 4.
• ACONmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI partners with ACON (AIDS Council of NSW) to improve workplace inclusion for staff who identify as LGBTIQ+ and to educate and inform allies.
• Office for Health and Medical ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ACI is part of the Clinical Innovation and Research Division and works closely with the Office for Health and Medical Research within NSW Health.
• NSW Health AI TaskforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NSW Health AI Taskforce works on artificial intelligence initiatives across the NSW health system. The ACI's AI Framework complements the taskforce's work by providing practical guidance for responsible AI adoption.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Healthcare Improvement Scotland: Scottish Government–funded body providing evidence-based clinical improvement, guidelines and inspection across NHS Scotland. Closest international peer in remit and operating model.
• Victorian Agency for Health Information: Victorian statutory body for health data, analytics and clinical information that supports quality and safety improvement — a peer in the data/registry capability that ACI also performs.
• Queensland Health — Clinical Excellence Queensland: Queensland Health division delivering statewide clinical networks, quality improvement and patient safety programs — comparable in scope to ACI but serving a different Australian jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care: National-level statutory body that sets safety/quality standards across all Australian health services. Operates a level above ACI (national vs. state) but overlaps heavily on clinical standards, accreditation and quality improvement work.
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): US federal agency producing evidence to improve healthcare safety, quality and outcomes. Analogous role as a government-funded clinical innovation/evidence body, but operating at national US scale.
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): US-based non-profit focused on healthcare quality improvement, innovation dissemination, and capability building. Operates internationally and overlaps with ACI's redesign and AIM methodology offerings.
• NHS England — Transformation / Innovation functions: NHS England units (e.g., NHS Improvement legacy functions) handle system-wide clinical innovation, safety and quality programmes across the NHS — directly comparable in mandate to ACI but at vastly larger population scale.
• NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence): UK arms-length body producing clinical guidelines, quality standards and technology appraisals. Operates at much larger national scale but covers a comparable remit of evidence-based clinical guidance and innovation adoption.

Direct peers

• Safer Care Victoria: Victoria's statutory agency for healthcare quality and safety improvement, operating clinical networks and statewide programs analogous to ACI but serving a different state health system.
• Clinical Excellence Commission (NSW): Sister NSW Health pillar focused on safety and quality improvement in NSW. ACI and CEC co-deliver the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Program, making CEC the closest functional peer in clinical system improvement inside NSW.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nswaci
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nswaci

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation