National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH)

What National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) does

The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) is a registered charity in England (Charity No: 1190515), founded in 2020 and publicly launched in March 2021 after incubation by Arts and Health South West. Headquartered at PO Box 948, Oxford, the organisation operates with a small staff of 13 and is governed by a board of trustees including senior NHS chairs, former NHS CFOs, and UCL academics. NCCH's mission is to advance creative health, defined as creative approaches and activities with benefits for health and wellbeing, by convening the national ecosystem of health and care systems, cultural partners, researchers, and policymakers.

NCCH's core programmes include the Creative Health Toolkit (a free online resource for embedding creative health into systems, strategies, and service design), the Creative Health Leads Programme (embedding dedicated roles in 12 NHS Integrated Care Systems across two cohorts), and the Creative Health Associates Programme (seven Associates hosted in ICBs across NHS England regions, funded by a £600,000 Arts Council England grant). The charity holds the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health (launched 26 November 2024), supports Special Interest Groups for RCGP, Nursing, and Pharmacy, and convenes the Creative Health Champions network. NCCH also partners in the £30 million UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities research programme (2021-2027) and showcases partner-developed digital creative health tools including the AI-powered Zeitgeist platform, VR-Melody (Cardiff University), Soul Paint, Talk Town, and the Arts4Us digital platform, which interoperates with NHS GP systems (Rio, Paris, Emis Web) and social prescribing platforms.

NCCH's business model is grant-funded charitable activity; it does not charge for its services. Revenue streams comprise restricted and unrestricted grants from Arts Council England, The Baring Foundation, Oak Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, UKRI, and Wellcome Trust, supporting specific programmes and research. The go-to-market is community-led and policy-driven: NCCH influences national creative health strategy through the APPG, embeds roles directly inside NHS systems, and disseminates free resources through its website, Health & Care Monthly newsletter, LinkedIn, Bluesky, YouTube, events, and the Creative Health Champions network. Customers are NHS Integrated Care Boards, NHS trusts, local authorities, and health and care professionals across England, with named deployments at BNSSG, Greater Manchester, North Central London (UCLH), Portsmouth, South West London (Croydon), and Wigan among others.

Name

National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH)

Legal name

The National Centre for Creative Health

Website

https://ncch.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) is an Oxford-based registered charity that advances creative health across England through policy advocacy, the APPG on Creative Health secretariat, and national programmes embedding Creative Health Leads and Associates within NHS Integrated Care Systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Advocacy and Creative Health Programmes

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Communicable Disease Prevention & Chronic Disease Programs (BPAIAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Mental Health Programs (BPADAIAK)

Keywords

• Creative health advocacy
• Health policy research
• Arts and wellbeing
• Public health programmes
• Social prescribing support

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Foundation Funding: NCCH operates as a registered charity (Charity No: 1190515) funded by Arts Council England, The Baring Foundation, Oak Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and other charitable trusts. Funding supports specific programmes including Creative Health Associates Programme (£600,000), Creative Health Leads Programme, and research initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) is a registered UK charity that advances the integration of creative approaches (arts, culture, creativity) into health and social care systems. It delivers national programmes (Creative Health Associates Programme, Creative Health Leads Programme), publishes the Creative Health Toolkit and Creative Health Review, and serves as secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health, convening Integrated Care Systems, NHS trusts, local authorities, and researchers to embed creative health into prevention, population health, and clinical pathways.

Product overview

The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) is a charity organization (not a traditional software company) that advances creative health through a portfolio of programmes, tools, and resources. The core offerings include the Creative Health Toolkit (a practical implementation guide), the Creative Health Leads Programme (embedding leads in health systems), and the Creative Health Associates Programme. NCCH also serves as secretariat for the APPG on Creative Health and supports research through the £30M UKRI-funded Mobilising Community Assets programme. The organization showcases various digital creative health interventions including Zeitgeist (AI-powered Flow training), VR-Melody (VR for anxiety), Soul Paint (VR emotional exploration), Talk Town (digital game for DHH youth), and Shifting Landscapes (360 VR for hospitalized children), though these are featured as case studies rather than NCCH-developed products. Additional offerings include Special Interest Groups for RCGP, Nursing, and Pharmacy, and a Creative Health Champions Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Health Toolkit A comprehensive toolkit providing guidance and resources for embedding creative health into health and care systems, strategies, service design, and delivery; aimed at health and care professionals, ICSs, and policymakers.
• Creative Health Leads Programme A national programme embedding dedicated Creative Health Leads within health and care systems across England to support strategic and operational integration of creative health into prevention, population health, neighbourhood models, and clinical pathways.
• Creative Health Associates Programme A programme delivered by seven Creative Health Associates hosted by Integrated Care Boards across NHS regions in England, embedding creative approaches and building information exchange between cultural practitioners and health professionals.
• Creative Health Review A comprehensive policy review published in 2023 that makes recommendations to government and metro mayors on embracing creative health, building on the 2017 Creative Health report.
• APPG on Creative Health Secretariat NCCH provides the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health, holding regular roundtables on creative health policy and influencing national policy through parliamentary channels.
• Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities Research Programme A six-year national research programme (2021-2027) funded by UKRI with £30 million to explore how community assets can address health inequalities.
• Creative Health Champions Network A network of Creative Health Champions supporting the implementation of creative health across systems in England.
• RCGP Special Interest Group for Creative Health A special interest group focused on creative health in general practice, part of NCCH's network of professional groups.
• Nursing Special Interest Group for Creative Health A special interest group focused on creative health in nursing practice.
• Pharmacy Special Interest Group for Creative Health A special interest group focused on creative health in pharmacy settings.
• How Webpage - Practical Implementation Guidance An online resource providing clear, practical guidance on implementing creative health initiatives across health and care services, organizations, and systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 visitors reached by The Heart of the Matter programme; 2 million digital reach for 2018 exhibition
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability12 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• UKRI - Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health InequalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Six-year national research programme (2021-2027) worth approximately £30 million. NCCH is a partner in this UK Research and Innovation funded initiative that supports integration of community assets into health systems.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with UCL. Professor Daisy Fancourt leads the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at UCL and provides evidence on creative health benefits. NCCH Director Alex Coulter and UCL collaborated on Health Humanities workshop.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the Creative Health Review launch in 2023 at Science Gallery London. Hosted Celebrating Creative Health event in May 2026. Research lead in APPG’s 2015-2017 Creative Health inquiry.
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPG AHW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCH delivers the Creative Health Review in partnership with APPG AHW. The 2017 Creative Health report led to NCCH establishment. APPG replaced by APPG on Creative Health in November 2024.
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCH provides the secretariat for the APPG on Creative Health, which launched on 26 November 2024 replacing the APPG on Arts, Health, and Wellbeing. The APPG holds regular roundtables on creative health policy.
• Royal Society for Public Health - Special Interest Group in Arts, Health and WellbeingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCH supports the development of research via partnership with this SIG focused on arts, health and wellbeing.
• Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCH works with CHWA to ensure AHSW legacy has tangible presence. CHWA and NCCH collaborate on practitioner networking and advocacy for creative health.
• Edge Hill University - Research Centre for Arts and WellbeingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCH features Arts4Us, a £2.5M AHRC-funded programme led by Edge Hill University developing a digital platform for arts activities supporting children’s mental health.
• Cardiff University - Centre for Trials ResearchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVR-Melody project delivered in partnership with Cardiff University, developing AI and music-based VR intervention for anxiety.
• NHS Integrated Care Boards (12 systems)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreative Health Leads hosted across NHS ICBs including BNSSG, Greater Manchester, North Central London (UCLH), Portsmouth, South West London (Croydon), and Wigan to embed creative health in health systems.
• Great Ormond Street HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Heart of the Matter programme originated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2015-16, bringing together patients, families, clinicians, and artists.
• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust / CW+majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCW+ charity supports screen-based artworks and VR initiatives at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. NCCH features these as case studies in creative health.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The King's Fund: One of the UK's leading independent health policy think tanks, working on NHS integration, prevention and population health. Comparable to NCCH as a UK health policy influencer but operating at significantly greater scale with paid consulting services and a broader agenda.
• NHS Confederation: The membership body for NHS organisations, including all 42 ICSs in England. NCCH engages this constituency directly via the Creative Health Leads Programme and APPG policy work, making it both a peer and a critical distribution channel.
• The Health Foundation: An independent UK health charity funding research, policy analysis and improvement programmes. Comparable to NCCH in the charitable health-policy space, though with a much larger endowment, paid programmes and broader mandate.
• Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH): A long-established UK health education charity with a Special Interest Group in Arts, Health and Wellbeing that NCCH supports. Comparable as a UK public-health charity, though much broader in scope and operating model.

Regional players

• Locality: The UK's national membership network for community-led organisations, including those delivering creative and health activities. Comparable to NCCH in its community-assets framing and prevention focus, and operationally aligned through the UKRI Mobilising Community Assets programme.

Direct peers

• Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA): UK membership body championing the role of culture, arts and creativity in health and wellbeing. CHWA is explicitly cited as a major NCCH partner for practitioner networking and advocacy, and the two organisations share substantial overlap in mission, constituency and ecosystem role — making them the closest peer in the field.
• Social Prescribing Network: The UK's national network for social prescribing — the practice of referring patients to non-clinical community activities including arts. NCCH's Arts4Us platform is explicitly interoperable with three social prescribing platforms (Joy App, Simply Connect, Access Elemental), making this a tightly coupled peer and ecosystem partner.
• London Arts in Health Forum: A London-based charity advancing the integration of arts into health and care, with a focus on training, networking and advocacy for arts-and-health practitioners. Highly comparable to NCCH in mission and audience, though geographically concentrated on London rather than national.
• Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI): An independent UK health think tank run by researchers and clinicians. Comparable to NCCH as a small, mission-driven health-policy organisation, overlapping via trustee Dr Guddi Singh, and similar in scale and operating model.
• What Works Centre for Wellbeing: The UK's national evidence body for wellbeing, providing research and policy guidance to government. Highly comparable to NCCH in its evidence-to-policy operating model and convening role, and overlapping via trustee Nancy Hey (former Executive Director 2014–2024).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/ncch.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_4TRAkMZID7YrogW02Hyzw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-centre-for-creative-health-ncch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH)