NHS Centre of Digital Excellence (CoDE)

The Centre of Digital Excellence (CoDE) is a collaborative healthcare innovation hub led by NHS England and the University of the West of England designed to accelerate the safe, evidence-based adoption of digital technologies across the NHS and European healthcare systems. CoDE provides a physical simulation of clinical environments where emerging tools can be rigorously tested, evaluated, and refined before real-world deployment, minimising impact on clinician workload, improving workflow efficiency and enhancing patient care.

As a learning health system, CoDE brings together clinicians, researchers, technologists and industry partners to co-design solutions grounded in real clinical challenges, using structured methodologies and continuous feedback loops to generate robust evidence and practical implementation insights. CoDE’s output extends beyond pilots — it informs policy, shapes best practice guidance, and supports scaling digital innovations regionally and nationally with confidence. Its interdisciplinary approach and rigorous evaluation capacity make it a valuable partner for Horizon Europe healthcare collaborations, offering expertise in digital health innovation, AI, clinical evaluation, risk governance, and implementation science.