Health Innovation North West Coast

What Health Innovation North West Coast does

Health Innovation North West Coast (formerly the North West Coast Academic Health Science Network, also operating as The Innovation Agency) is an NHS-mandated Academic Health Science Network serving the North West Coast region of England. It is organisationally hosted within Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and operates as one of 14 regional networks within the national Health Innovation Network — the innovation arm of NHS England. The organisation's portfolio comprises three interconnected pillars: (1) an Innovation Pipeline and suite of accelerator programmes (Digital North Accelerator, Excel in Health, Momentum Accelerator, NHS Innovation Accelerator) supporting health innovators and businesses to develop, evaluate, and scale innovations for NHS adoption; (2) a Coaching Academy and independent Evaluation Services providing quality-improvement training, system support, and evidence-based assessment; and (3) themed Health Programmes covering Patient Safety (Managing Deterioration, MatNeoSIP, Medicines Safety, System Safety), Cardiovascular, Mental Health, and Respiratory health. Notable deployed innovations include Neuro Rehabilitation Online (NROL) — a digitally-enabled group rehabilitation model spanning 14 NHS trusts and 21 teams with 6,000+ patient contacts, and the MAPS shared-care opioid-reduction pathway achieving a 33% average opioid reduction.

The business model is overwhelmingly grant and programme-funded rather than commercial. Core revenue derives from NHS England allocation routed through the Health Innovation Network, supplemented by programme-specific funding such as the SBRI Healthcare grant awarded in January 2025 for NROL, and joint working agreements with pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Camurus funding for MAPS). Services to NHS trusts, integrated care boards, and healthcare innovators are provided free of charge. The organisation does not invoice patients or sell licences to consumers; its "customers" are commissioning NHS bodies and the innovator SMEs it supports via accelerator cohorts. Customer concentration is effectively 100% within the UK public healthcare sector, with strategic dependencies on NHS England policy, the four northern AHSN collaborators, and a defined set of regional integrated care boards and NHS trusts.

Name

Health Innovation North West Coast

Legal name

Health Innovation North West Coast

Website

https://healthinnovationnwc.nhs.uk

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Health Innovation North West Coast is an NHS-mandated Academic Health Science Network — one of 14 regional bodies in England's Health Innovation Network — that accelerates the development, evaluation, and adoption of health innovations across NHS trusts, integrated care boards, and health-tech innovators in the North West Coast region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Innovation Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Access & Social Care Innovations (Community Health, Telehealth for Underserved) (BPAGALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Systems Strengthening & Primary Care Development (HLAJAKAJ), Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)

Keywords

• Health innovation support
• NHS accelerator programmes
• Healthcare evaluation services
• Patient safety programmes
• Innovation adoption

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. NHS Core Funding: Health Innovation North West Coast is part of the Health Innovation Network, the innovation arm of the NHS, and receives core funding to support the acceleration of innovation adoption across the NHS.
2. Programme Funding: Funding from SBRI Healthcare (NHS England initiative in partnership with Health Innovation Network) and joint working agreements with pharmaceutical companies for specific programmes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Health Innovation North West Coast is a publicly-funded NHS innovation network that identifies, develops, and spreads proven health innovations across the North West Coast region of England. It delivers accelerator programmes for healthcare innovators, runs themed patient safety and clinical programmes (cardiovascular, mental health, respiratory), provides independent evaluation of health innovations, and operates a Coaching Academy for quality improvement. Its services are delivered free of charge to NHS organizations and are supported through NHS core funding, SBRI Healthcare programme funding, and joint working agreements with pharmaceutical companies.

Product overview

Health Innovation North West Coast is an NHS innovation network (part of the Health Innovation Network) that serves as the innovation arm of the NHS in the North West Coast region. The organization operates as a platform connecting NHS health and care services with innovators through a portfolio of programmes and services. The offering consists of three interconnected pillars: (1) an Innovation Pipeline with accelerator programmes (Digital North, Excel in Health, Momentum Accelerator, NHS Innovation Accelerator) that identify, develop, and spread health innovations; (2) Coaching Academy and Evaluation Services providing quality improvement support and evidence-based assessment; and (3) Themed Health Programmes covering Patient Safety, Cardiovascular, Mental Health, and Respiratory health areas. The organization also provides business support services, international expansion assistance, and a knowledge hub with resources, case studies, publications, and podcasts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Neuro Rehabilitation Online (NROL): A digital rehabilitation model delivering real-time, clinician-led group rehabilitation sessions via video technology for stroke and neurological rehabilitation patients.
• Medication Awareness Pathway Support (MAPS)

Products and services

• Digital North Accelerator Programme A regional accelerator programme supporting digital health innovators to develop and scale their innovations within the NHS. Targets digital health SMEs and innovators seeking NHS market access.
• Excel in Health An accelerator programme helping innovators develop and refine health innovations for NHS adoption. Targets healthcare innovators and SMEs preparing for NHS market entry.
• Momentum Accelerator An accelerator programme focused on speeding up the adoption and spread of established innovations across the NHS. Targets innovators with proven solutions ready for scaling.
• NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) A national innovation programme supporting exceptional innovators with solutions to scale across the NHS. Targets high-impact health innovators selected for national scaling support.
• Innovation Pipeline A structured system for identifying, evaluating, and supporting innovations from ideation through to adoption, including Find innovations, Generate new ideas, and Creating an innovative culture services. Targets NHS organizations and innovators seeking structured innovation pathways.
• Coaching Academy A comprehensive coaching and quality improvement training service offering coach training, learning and development, system support, facilitated collaboration, and bespoke programmes. Targets NHS workforce and quality improvement leads.
• National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes Programmes covering Managing Deterioration, Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP), Medicines Safety, and System Safety. Targets NHS trusts and integrated care boards seeking patient safety improvements.
• Cardiovascular Diseases Programme Programmes focused on cardiovascular health improvement, including blood pressure management. Targets NHS organizations, primary care networks, and integrated care boards.
• Mental Health Programme Programmes supporting mental health improvement across the region. Targets NHS mental health providers and integrated care systems.
• Respiratory Programmes Programmes focused on respiratory health improvement. Targets NHS respiratory providers and integrated care systems.
• Evaluation Services Independent evaluation services for health programmes and innovations, providing evidence-based decision-making support. Targets NHS organizations, integrated care boards, and programme sponsors.
• International Business Support Support services for innovators looking to expand internationally or access international markets. Targets healthcare innovators and SMEs pursuing international growth.
• Public Involvement and Engagement Senate (PIES) Patient and public involvement programme ensuring community participation in health innovation. Targets NHS organizations and innovators seeking patient and public voice in programme design.
• Neuro Rehabilitation Online (NROL) A digital rehabilitation model delivering real-time, clinician-led group rehabilitation sessions via video technology for stroke and neurological rehabilitation patients. Targets NHS integrated care boards and stroke rehabilitation teams; adopted across 14 NHS trusts and 21 teams.
• Medication Awareness Pathway Support (MAPS) A shared-care pathway supporting patients on high doses of opioids through multi-disciplinary collaboration and pharmacist-led reviews. Targets primary care networks and NHS integrated care boards; achieved 33% average reduction in opioid use among participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% average reduction in opioid use among MAPS pathway participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SameYoucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Charity partner that initiated early funding and support for NROL, driven by lived experience of brain injury. SameYou collaborated with University College London to develop the original NROL model and has continued involvement in the programme's development and spread.
• Lancaster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Academic partner providing implementation science-based evaluation for the NROL programme. The university's independent evaluation has been critical to demonstrating programme outcomes and supporting commissioning decisions.
• ElaroscoreTechnology or IntegrationSME partner that provided the digital platform for scheduling and patient access to NROL rehabilitation materials and group sessions. Elaros adapted and developed the technology to support NHS delivery at scale.
• Health Innovation NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization - the national network of 14 health innovation networks that form the innovation arm of the NHS. Health Innovation North West Coast is one of the regional networks within this national structure.
• Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Innovation North West Coast is organizationally part of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and subject to the trust's policies and procedures.
• East Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Trust that provided clinical leadership and operational delivery for the initial NROL pilot, serving as a key clinical partner in the programme's development.
• Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICB partner that collaborated on the MAPS (Medication Awareness Pathway Support) programme for opioid reduction, working with Health Innovation North West Coast on co-design and evaluation.
• Inspire Lancashire (Change Grow Live)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist drug and alcohol service that partnered on the MAPS programme as the expert substance misuse provider, contributing to the biopsychosocial model for opioid reduction.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Imperial College Health Partners: AHSN-style organisation serving North West London with comparable NHS innovation pipeline and evaluation services. Closely aligned in business model and customer base.
• West Midlands Academic Health Science Network: Regional AHSN delivering innovation adoption and evaluation across West Midlands NHS organisations. Directly comparable in scope, funding model and offerings.
• Health Innovation Manchester: Sibling Academic Health Science Network covering Greater Manchester. Directly comparable as a regional NHS innovation network delivering accelerator programmes, evaluation, and adoption support to NHS trusts and ICBs within its geography.
• UCLPartners: Academic Health Science Network covering North Thames with a similar innovation-adoption and evaluation remit. Comparable as another AHSN-style organisation operating across NHS trusts and ICBs.
• Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria: Regional NHS innovation network with parallel programme portfolio and patient-safety focus. Direct peer given shared national structure, NHS core funding and themed programme mix.
• Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber: Another of the 14 regional Health Innovation Networks with an identical mandate (innovation adoption, evaluation, accelerator programmes) and NHS funding model, making it a structural twin to HINWC.
• Oxford Academic Health Science Network: Regional AHSN covering Oxfordshire and surrounding counties with matching NHS innovation adoption, evaluation and industry-collaboration activities. Direct functional peer.

Emerging players

• NHS Innovation Accelerator: National accelerator programme that HINWC itself hosts regionally. Comparable in accelerator design and target innovators, but operates nationally rather than regionally.
• Catapult Network (Health): UK Catapult centres support innovation in specific sectors including health; they overlap with HINWC in accelerating early-stage health technologies to market, though typically more technology- rather than NHS-system focused.

Others

• SBRI Healthcare: NHS England-funded programme that awards development contracts to health innovators. It is a key funding/partner counterparty for HINWC programmes (e.g. NROL grant), so functionally an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/nwcahsnvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/InnovationNWC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/health-innovation-north-west-coast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Health Innovation North West Coast