In 2014, the Welsh Government commissioned a review of investment in health professional education and workforce development.
The review, led by Mel Evans, resulted in a report issued in 2015, which made a number of recommendations – one of which was to establish a single body for the commissioning, planning, and development of education and training for the NHS workforce in Wales.
Further work was then undertaken by Professor Robin Williams to scope out detailed proposals for the new single body. Following the publication of Professor Williams’s report, the Welsh Government confirmed the new organisation would come into being in October 2018.
A detailed written statement was published by Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport in July 2017, outlining the status, functions, and name of the new body: Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).
On 1 October 2018, the Welsh Government established HEIW by bringing together three key organisations for health: the Wales Deanery; NHS Wales’s Workforce Education and Development Services (WEDS); and the Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE).
By amalgamating these organisations, HEIW ensures that the people and healthcare professionals of Wales benefit from a cohesive, consistent approach to education and training, and to workforce modernisation and planning. In addition, they benefit from the enhanced skills, knowledge, and expertise that a combined organisation of this standing provides.