Queen Mary, University of London leads new NHS initiative to benefit millions in North-East London

The new Health Innovation and Education Cluster (HIEC) is led by Queen Mary (on behalf of NEL Health, which includes all NHS bodies in NE London), along with University College London (UCL Partners), and Anglia Ruskin University/Essex NHS.

The three partnerships will come together to research and pioneer new approaches for treatments of common diseases such as chronic lung disease; provide a new focus for preventing major illnesses such as stroke and heart disease; and support better choice and care for maternity care.

The Queen Mary-led consortium bid won via a rigorous competitive process. It is the first time such a wide-ranging and complex university and NHS scheme has been brought together in this way. Together, the partners in the HIEC account for roughly 10 per cent of the NHS budget in England, and the population they serve includes some of the most disadvantaged and diverse communities in the country.

Professor Sir Nicholas Wright, Acting Chair of the HIEC Board, and Warden of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary, commented: “The combined clinical and academic resources of the three partnerships offer a real opportunity to support national priorities in the quest for improvement in the quality of both care and lifestyle of our population.”

Alwen Williams, Chief Executive of NHS Tower Hamlets commented: "This initiative is intended to make a real positive impact on the quality of patient care by bringing together research, innovation and training from top universities with NHS providers."

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Health Innovation and Education Clusters, known as HIECs, are formal partnerships between NHS organisations, leading medical education institutes, industry and academia. Their purpose is to promote innovation, quality and productivity in the NHS through the training and education of healthcare staff and to share best practice across the capital.