Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Leeds Named as Hub for Health Innovation
Big Health Plans for Leeds: What You Need to Know
Last Thursday, June 5, Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, visited Leeds. He met with local health and social care leaders, including Second Permanent Secretary Tom Riordan, to see firsthand how Leeds is leading the way in transforming our health services.
They discussed how Leeds is tackling three big changes:
They discussed how Leeds is tackling three big changes:
- Shifting care from hospitals to local communities.
- Moving from older, “analogue” systems to modern digital tools.
- Focusing on preventing illness rather than just treating it.
This visit highlighted Leeds’s role as a key testing ground for new health policies.
Leeds: A Hub for Health Innovation
Leeds is one of three locations (along with Sheffield and Darlington) chosen by the government to focus on specific policy missions. For Leeds, that mission is health. This means our city will be at the forefront of developing solutions to major health challenges facing communities across the UK.
Leeds already has a strong connection across the health and social care sectors. The Leeds Health and Social Care Hub, set up in 2022, is central to this. It brings government officials closer to frontline staff, helping to create more effective and modern health policies. The Hub is particularly focused on neighbourhood health models and testing new ideas related to the “three shifts” mentioned above. With the upcoming 10-Year Health Plan and the launch of the independent commission into adult social care, there will be even more opportunities for innovation right here in Leeds.
What’s Next
Plans for these exciting initiatives will continue to develop over the summer, with work expected to begin in the autumn. There’s also a new scheme in the works that will allow staff to move between central government and local authorities, sharing valuable insights and experiences.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re interested in how the Leeds Health and Social Care Hub could benefit your policy area, get in touch with Emma Heeson, Head of the Leeds Health and Social Care Hub, at emma.heeson@dhsc.gov.uk.
Click here to read The Guardian post which covers the same topic.
