A new cross-sector partnership has been launched in Northern Ireland to boost health outcomes and drive economic growth.

Jointly led by the Department of Health and the Department for the Economy, the Academic, Health and Economic Partnership (AH&EP) will help convert the region's health and life sciences research and clinical expertise into real-world benefits.

Bringing together leaders from health and social care, universities, industry, government and communities, the initiative was unveiled at NICON 2026. It will support the development, testing and scaling of innovations that improve people's health while encouraging investment and job creation.

The AH&EP will pinpoint priority health challenges, back the design and evaluation of new solutions, and accelerate the spread of proven approaches across health and social care—creating a more connected route from discovery to widespread implementation.

The launch comes as Northern Ireland looks to reinforce its standing as a leading location for health and life sciences, amid growing interest from investors and companies. Speaking at the launch, Mike Farrar, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health, said: "Northern Ireland faces significant health challenges, from increasing demand for services to the growing burden of long-term conditions. At the same time, we have exceptional assets: a single integrated health and social care system, internationally recognised research expertise, innovative businesses and committed partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

"The AH&EP brings these strengths together behind a shared ambition. Our goal is simple: to improve health outcomes for our population by making it easier to develop, test, adopt and scale innovation. If we get this right, patients will benefit from better care, staff will have access to more effective solutions, and Northern Ireland will be recognised internationally as a place where innovation can thrive and deliver real impact."

Christine Robinson, Deputy Secretary, Economic Policy Group at the Department for the Economy, said: "The Life and Health Sciences sector is one of Northern Ireland's greatest economic opportunities, underpinned by world-class research, innovative businesses and strong collaborative partnerships.

"Through this partnership, we want to strengthen the link between health improvement and economic growth. By accelerating the development, adoption and scaling of innovation, we can attract investment, support indigenous businesses, create high-value jobs and enhance Northern Ireland's reputation as a leading location for health innovation. This partnership is about delivering tangible benefits for citizens, patients, businesses and communities while supporting a more productive and sustainable economy."

The AH&EP was formally launched at NICON 2026, Northern Ireland's leading conference for health and social care leaders.