Courses and resources

Academic Health Science Networks are partnership bodies that bring together all partners across a regional health economy to improve the health of local communities. 

There are 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England, established by NHS England in 2013 to spread innovation at pace and scale – improving health and generating economic growth. Each AHSN works across a distinct geography serving a different population in each region.

The AHSNs are:

• East Midlands

• Eastern

• Health Innovation Manchester

• Health Innovation Network

• Imperial College Health Partners

• Kent, Surrey and Sussex

• North East and North Cumbria

• Innovation Agency: Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast

• Oxford

• South West

• UCLPartners

• Wessex

• West Midlands

• West of England

• Yorkshire & Humber

Each AHSN works within its own area to develop projects, programmes and initiatives that reflect the diversity of our local populations and healthcare challenges. However, we all share the following priorities:

• Promoting economic growth: fostering opportunities for industry to work effectively with the NHS

• Spreading innovation at pace and scale: creating the right environment, and supporting collaboration across boundaries

• Improving patient safety: using knowledge, expertise and networks to bring together patients, healthcare staff and partners to determine priorities and develop and implement solutions

• Optimising medicine use: ensuring that medication is used to its maximum benefit – improving safety and making efficient use of NHS resources

• Improving quality and reducing variation: by spreading best practice we increase productivity and reduce variation, thereby improving patient outcomes

• Putting research into practice: our strong links with academia mean we are uniquely placed to support the translation of research into clinical practice

• Collaborating on national programmes.