The Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) is dedicated to improving healthcare and supporting wealth creation through partnership working and promotion of innovation across the NHS, Academia and Industry.

With a remit to provide system-wide integration, we facilitate interactions with multiple partner organisations across the region. Principally we work with the NHS Trusts, CCGs and Universities which form our core membership, and we collaborate closely with many other stakeholder groups. We support the inclusive, collegiate approaches that are needed to address shared problems at a system level.

Wealth Creation and Health Improvement have a common requirement for innovation. The AHSN NENC supports all aspects of innovation across healthcare from creating a culture that supports the innovation through to the dissemination and adoption of effective practice and proven technologies.

We have therefore achieved the regional reach and the local buy-in that is necessary to deliver cross-organisational programmes to improve health and create wealth in the region.

The YouGov survey results from the Autumn of 2015 provide external validation of the work being undertaken by the AHSN NENC. With responses in the top third for 32 out of 33 responses relative to those of the AHSN Network Nationally, the North East and North Cumbria region are clearly leading the way in providing an effective contribution to the local innovation and health improvement landscape.