What we do

 Our purpose is to spread innovative practice across the health and care system to improve population health and generate economic growth. 

We help build capability vital to the adoption and spread of innovation. We support partners to evaluate impact and apply learning, and we share knowledge across our health and care, industry, academic and voluntary sectors networks and collaborations.

Spreading innovation

We spread proven innovative practice across the health and care system as part of a national network of Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs). 

From safer maternity care to social prescribing and healthy ageing, our work to spread innovative practice supports the regional health and care system.

Building capability

We help build the culture and capabilities vital to the development, adoption and spread of innovative practice across the regional health and care system.

Our experience in large-scale change, scaling up new ideas, quality improvement and co-production with patients helps support people across the health and care system, from front-line staff to systems leaders and life sciences businesses.

Evaluation and learning

We support partners to evaluate impact and apply learning to improve the delivery of health and care services. We provide rapid, actionable insights to inform improvements and spread innovative practice.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our rapid learning cycles have provided responsive feedback in a fast-changing environment, and signalled ways we can positively influence future health and care.

Sharing knowledge

We create and facilitate networks and collaborations to enable the sharing of knowledge and strengthen partnerships across health and care, industry, and the academic and voluntary sectors.

Our role is as a neutral broker, convening networks to meet a shared aim of better health and care for all.

The South West Academic Health Science Network (SW AHSN) is one of 15 AHSNs set up by NHS England across the country in 2013.

You can read more about the AHSN Network here and you can find out more about who we are here.