A new Leeds Health and Social Care Hub is to launch to bring together local organisations with the aim of improving patient health outcomes.
The NHS and other health organisations, members of the public, local government, universities, and private and third-sector organisations will work together to address challenges such as health disparities and improving the opportunities of employment.
The partners include:
- Leeds City Council
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- NHS England
- West Yorkshire Integrated Care System
- University of Leeds
- Leeds Beckett University
- Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network
- Leeds Health and Care Academy
- Leeds and York Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust
- Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- Forum Central
The project will focus on three key areas: people and talent; health and social care economy; and policy and collaboration.
Within the key area of people and talent, new apprenticeships will be developed alongside various outreach initiatives, as well as working alongside local universities to develop higher education opportunities.
Looking to the health and social care economy, there will be work undertaken to develop Leeds as a key location for health and social care businesses, with focus on innovation, digital health and medical technology. Within this area, there will also be work to support the Innovation Arc project which aims to produce a number of innovation neighbourhoods.
The hub will also work to support collaborative and inclusive partnerships across academics, life sciences, business, policy makers and healthcare providers.
The third key area, policy and collaboration, will aim to bring the experiences of partners together in addressing the challenges, focusing on health disparities. This includes creating new ways of working to explore policy solutions, gather timely insights and jointly test plans. It will also involve creating a working group addressing these challenges while also ensuring work is backed up by academic from universities.
The hub has set up a steering group which is chaired by the DHSC Permanent Secretary and will deliver strategic direction, with representation across the health and social care sector in Leeds the West Yorkshire region.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: “The Leeds Health and Social Care Hub provides a welcome platform for us to forge closer and stronger working relationships with our partners in Leeds and the north of England. It will allow us to entice more talented health and care workers, as well as organisations, to the region, boosting both the local workforce and the economy.”
Dr Sara Munro, chief executive officer, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust, stated: “The hub brings together a diverse set of partners both locally and nationally that will be able to achieve so much more collectively.”
Tom Riordan, Leeds City Council, added: “In order to develop and deliver successful policy, you need national, regional and local perspectives working together, and this initiative is a great opportunity to do just that.”
