The Dragon’s Heart Institute was established in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the lessons learned from the Welsh Health and Social Care sector’s response would shape a stronger, more resilient future. Built on the principles of good leadership and shared purpose, the institute serves as a hub for fostering networks of colleagues united by a commitment to excellence and compassion. By leveraging these collaborative connections, it promotes the rapid dissemination of innovation and best practices across the sector. Through this work, the Dragon’s Heart Institute embodies a legacy of learning, demonstrating how collective effort, underpinned by visionary leadership, can drive meaningful and lasting improvements in health and social care.
Through the All-Wales Intensive Learning Academy for Innovation in Health and Social Care (ILA:IHSC), the Dragon’s Heart Institute, has firmly established itself as a driving force in the practice of innovation, leadership, transformation, and the scale and spread of improvement. Our vision remains for Wales to be a world leader and global authority in advancing transformational change within health and social care, ensuring that the benefits of innovation are equitably distributed to improve outcomes for all.
Central to this vision are our flagship training programmes: Climb, launched in 2021, and the Spread & Scale Academy, established in 2019. Together, these programmes have engaged 879 participants to date, equipping leaders and practitioners with the confidence, skills, and practical tools needed to realise meaningful change. These initiatives are designed to foster a new generation of health and social care leaders who are adept in the knowledge, science, and application of innovation. They provide the capabilities and relationships necessary to nurture, spread, and scale proven solutions at pace, creating a ripple effect of improvement and innovation across the system.
