About the HLA:IDEAS Programme

Deadlines for Recruitment

  • Cohort 10 - 24th February, 2026, 12pm (midday)

HLA:IDEAS is an incubator for non-profit organisations in healthcare.

The programme is open to all healthcare professionals/students involved in running a not-for-profit organisation. We accept organisations at any stage - from just having started a few years into running.

The two-year programme empowers healthcare professionals to take their ideas further. Through close mentorship, we teach them about topics relevant to starting an organisation and setting up solid foundations for further developments.

We help our organisations grow and achieve their full potential, with focus on being sustainable and having significant impact.

Our aim is to foster leadership in healthcare through entrepreneurship, empowering the next generation of clinical leaders and promoting frontline innovation.

To find out more, visit our website:

https://www.thehealthcareleadership.academy/hla-ideas

Contact us at: [email protected]


Programme Delivery

HLA:IDEAS initiatives receive regular 1-to-1 mentorship from HLA:IDEAS faculty.

HLA:IDEAS organisations are also expected to attend the annual HLA:IDEAS conference which aims to bring together like-minded individuals to collaborate, network and discuss challenges and opportunities in the not-for-profit sector


FAQs

What projects are accepted onto the programme?

We are open to accepting any non-profit organisations, including charities and CICs.

However, due to governance issues, we cannot accept student societies that are registered with a student unio


Do I Need to be an HLA Scholar to Apply?

No, the programme is open to all.


Will there be funding given out for our projects?

The Programme has a cost equivalent of approximately £10,000 when compared to other incubators and accelerators. The HLA incorporates this cost into running the programme free to the organisations involved. No direct financial grants are offered through the programme.


How is HLA:IDEAS funded?

HLA:IDEAS has been funded through a donation of £50,000 from the Medics.Academy Charity Partnership Programme. The HLA Community is supporting this programme through support from many of the incredible team and individuals that make up the wider HLA Community.

About the HLA:IDEAS Faculty

Dr Ali Jawad

Associate Director at The Healthcare Leadership Academy

Ali is Associate Director at The Healthcare Leadership Academy. He is also a doctor in north-west London and an NHS Clinical Innovation and Entrepreneur Fellow as part of the first-ever cohort under the National Clinical Director for Innovation at NHS England.He has a background in graphic design, technology, charities, management, and education. He regularly gives talks on innovation in medical education and has presented his research internationally. He continues to teach locally and also leads a national teaching course for medical students.

Natalia Skorupska

Programme Manager

Dr Natalia Skorupska is an Anaesthetics trainee in London. She graduated from the University of Cambridge and went on to complete the Academic Foundation Programme in Bristol.

A Healthcare Leadership Academy Scholar (2020–2021), Natalia has since served as the Programme Manager for the HLA:IDEAS programme, fostering innovation and collaboration amongst non-profit organisations in healthcare. She is passionate about healthcare leadership, education, and research.

Dr Johann Malawana

Founder and Director of The Healthcare Leadership Academy and Medics.Academy

Dr Johann has worked across government, professional, commercial, public sector and international organisations and developed an international reputation as a thought leader in Healthcare Education and Training, Commercialisation and Leadership. Having been trained as a medical doctor and obstetrician, he worked in the NHS for over a decade. Having undertaken several leadership roles across medicine, responsible for large teams, coordinating negotiations on behalf of the medical profession twice with the government and the NHS. Dr Malawana has been appointed previously by the privy council and the Secretary of State for Health to the Boards of the General Medical Council and Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board sitting on committees ranging from finance, pensions, ethics and policy work. Dr Malawana has been recognised in all his previous roles for the exceptional contributions he has made and for having a huge impact on the environments he has worked within. Dr Malawana was appointed as the Healthcare UK, Department of International Trade Specialist Advisor on Education and Training for the UK Healthcare system where he developed strategic policies and partnerships for the public and private sector.

Host Organisation

The Healthcare Leadership Academy

The Healthcare Leadership was founded by Dr Johann Malawana in 2016, with the aim to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals and develop their understanding of leadership.