How Imperial College Health Partners supports innovators to move from proven pilots to multi-site adoption
Each year thousands of lives are lost in North West London (NWL) due to Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), as well as the disease causing 4,000 strokes and 2,500 heart attacks. An estimated 1 million adults in our region are living with high cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia) and an additional 120,000 people may be unknowingly living with undiagnosed heart and circulatory conditions. The earlier we can detect risk, the more lives can be saved, and the fewer families will have to face avoidable tragedy. That’s why, as part of a system-wide focus on CVD, we’re working with PocDoc.
PocDoc’s easy-to-use, rapid testing kits deliver a complete picture of heart health (including cholesterol, HbA1c, heart age and overall CVD risk level) in under 10 minutes, and can be used outside of clinical settings. From workplaces to community hubs, they make early detection accessible and convenient. Their goal? To help identify those at highest risk of CVD and ensure they receive the right treatment.
Insights from previous projects within the Health Innovation Network such as Health Innovation East’ partnership with PocDoc, show powerful results:
- 80% of people tested had never had a cholesterol test before
- 40% of people tested had elevated (unhealthy) levels of cholesterol
- 17% would qualify as having undiagnosed cardiovascular disease
- 95% of people said they found the community-based testing ‘significantly more convenient’ than an appointment at their local GP
So how could this innovation move beyond promising pilots to being implemented at scale?
Turning promise into adoption
On the impact of results like the above, we worked to broker an introduction to the NWL system and supported PocDoc to secure funding to scale evidence generation and accelerate adoption of their innovation. At Imperial College Health Partners (ICHP), our Innovation Exchange team [link to new page] specialise in bridging the gap between “proven somewhere” to “adopted at scale.” Acting as the dedicated innovation partner for NWL, we:
- Identified PocDoc during a targeted horizon scan aligned with the NWL’s mission-led approach to tackling CVD [link to M1 page].
- Hosted an Innovation Surgery, an initial 60-minute deep dive of dedicated time with our expert team, including our Clinical Innovation Fellows, to further understand their value proposition, determine alignment with local need and provide guidance on progressing their innovation journey.
- Developed a carbon baselining of their pathway to demonstrate sustainability.
- Brokered key introductions to commissioners, clinicians and academics with an interest in testing new solutions in CVD.
- Supported the development of a strong funding proposal, guiding both the innovator and local system partners through the process.
The result? PocDoc secured funding to deploy 2,000 rapid testing kits across community settings in NWL, with a focus on underserved populations. This pilot will generate real-world evidence on how community-based testing can accelerate detection, improve treatment pathways, and reduce health inequalities, directly supporting our region’s ambition to prevent 25% of heart attacks and strokes by 2029.
Why does this matter for innovators?
As the Health Innovation Network for NWL, and innovation partner for the system, work with innovators like PocDoc demonstrates we can:
- Spot the right opportunities: aligning proven innovations with real system priorities.
- Open the right doors: giving innovators direct access to decision-makers and frontline clinicians where they have impactful, scaleable innovations.
- Support the right steps: from shaping proposals to securing funding and scaling adoption.
Work with us
If you are an innovator with a solution that can transform health outcomes, particularly across CVD and children and young people’s mental health, we can help you cut through complexity, accelerate your journey, and maximise your impact.
Get in touch with us at innovators@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com to explore how we can support you.
Or read more about our expert Innovation Exchange team.
