Leeds Health and Social Care Hub launches to improve regional outcomes

A new Leeds and Social Care Hub will bringing together the Department of Health and Social Care and various local partners in an attempt to improve health outcomes across the region.

Members of public, private and third-sector organisations, including the NHS, local government, universities and other health organisations, will work to address challenges including tackling health disparities and improving employment opportunities in the sector.

The aim is to position Leeds as the natural choice for professionals looking to pursue a career in health and social care spanning local government and public and private organisations, as well as for start-ups seeking to establish or expand their base in the city. It will also promote the health and social care sector as a career of choice for local residents and graduates, so that workforces reflect the communities they serve.

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.

‘Together, we will work on a comprehensive vision to improve health and social care outcomes and come up with innovative solutions to tackle health disparities across the north of England.’

This will build on existing collaboration across different organisations and sectors. For example, in 2019 Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust partnered with Leeds City Council and a local charity to deliver information on employment, connecting residents living in Lincoln Green and other disadvantaged communities in Leeds with job opportunities. It resulted in 49 people starting a six-week employability programme and 29 people successfully securing employment at St James’ Hospital.

The Hub will act as a focal point for healthcare activity in the region. For example, the new West Yorkshire Innovation hub has been set up to ensure residents can benefit from new innovations. It recently launched ten innovation schemes including breast cancer surgery, cancer screening uptake in minority communities, and a special programme to support older people with cancer.

Dr Sara Munro, CEO of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust, said: ‘The hub brings together a diverse set of partners both locally and nationally that will be able to achieve so much more collectively.’

The project will focus on three main areas:

1. People and talent: making the health sector in the region the employer of choice for many local people from all communities.
2. Health and social care economy: working together to develop Leeds as a location of choice for health and social care businesses, particularly innovative businesses and those in the digital health and medical technology sectors.
3. Policy and collaboration: bringing together the experience and insight of all partners to address health and care policy challenges with a focus on health disparities.

Photo by Martha Dominguez de Gouveia