As we approach our 40th anniversary, we’ve found ourselves reflecting on seasons past. Since YHEC began as a university department back in 1986, we’ve moved from an office in the Alcuin buildings to a spacious, two-storey office set up in the University of York Science Park, via premises in the IRISS buildings and Market Square. As we celebrate our history, we spoke to some of our long-standing staff to find out how the office space has changed since the early days of YHEC, starting with the Market Square building.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC). To celebrate four decades of partnership and progress, we are launching a special series of blogs that explore the past, present, and future of our field. There is no better place to start this journey than at the very beginning. Before we delve into the nuances of policy or the intricacies of economic modelling, we want to peel back the layers and address a fundamental question that is often misunderstood: What, exactly, is health economics? In this blog, our CEO, Professor Matthew Taylor, breaks this down in simple terms.

In this blog, YHEC’s CEO, Professor Matthew Taylor, examines the balance between the clinical benefits and the economic costs of wearable technology, using his own life-saving diagnosis as a personal perspective.

The NHS 10 Year Plan, published in July 2025, sets out the government’s plans for a digital app ‘HealthStore’ as part of the shift from analogue to digital. In this blog, YHEC Project Director, Robert Malcolm, explores some of the potential benefits and challenges of making the HealthStore a reality in the NHS.

Evaluating digital health technologies and medical devices is a complex process that presents a host of new considerations and hurdles for assessment. Unlike traditional pharmaceuticals, these innovations have unique characteristics that pose challenges for health economists. In this blog, YHEC’s Director of Digital Health Consulting, Hayden Holmes, explores some of the approaches and potential solutions for overcoming these obstacles.

In this blog we interview Barbara Uzdzinska, a Senior Research Consultant at YHEC. We find out how she got into this role, what her day-to-day work looks like, and what she enjoys most about being part of YHEC.