The Bevan Commission Academy for Health Leadership and Innovation has been formally opened at Swansea University’s Bay Campus by Dr Andrew Goodall, Director General of NHS Wales (Swansea University, 2017).

The Bevan Commission Academy responds to the findings of the Commission for stronger leadership and innovation through a more prudent approach to health and wellbeing and other innovative actions needed to help sustain health and care in Wales. The Bevan Commission identified the need for an Academy to help translate its thinking into practice, supporting those in the NHS and those using the NHS to find better ways of doing things together, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

The launch event set out the Bevan Commission Academy’s achievements to date and its aspirations for the future, outlining how the Academy’s work will drive innovation and transformational change to improve health and wellbeing, develop new ideas, skills and knowledge and provide sound evidence and research from which to build and learn by doing.

Bevan Commission Chair, Professor Sir Mansel Aylward, said “Today we mark a stride forward by the Bevan Commission in championing innovation in health and healthcare in Wales by launching The Bevan Commission Academy in the School of Management at Swansea University. The Bevan Academy offers the environment, culture, motivation, support and encouragement needed to transform the Commission’s thinking into practice through a more prudent approach to improving and remodelling health and healthcare in Wales and provides a platform for ground breaking innovation. Moreover, the sterling work accomplished to date by the Bevan Innovators illustrates the impact this could well have on achieving an impressive step towards improving health and healthcare of the people in Wales.”

Helen Howson, Director of the Bevan Commission, said “We are delighted to be launching the Bevan Commission Academy at Swansea University which underlines our commitment to work in collaboration with others to achieve more sustainable health and care in Wales. By working together with industry, academia, the NHS, third sector, as well as with members of the public, we can pool our knowledge and talent to develop the new ideas, skills and approaches needed in Wales. The Bevan Academy with its global links and breadth of expertise is uniquely placed to also become an ‘international beacon of health’ for others worldwide.”

Professor Marc Clement, Dean of the School of Management, said “We are delighted that the new Bevan Commission Academy will have its home at Swansea University. We are proud of the University’s track record in collaboration and in helping to find 21st century health solutions for Wales. This new initiative builds on this work and will help to build the NHS of the future.”