The Government has chosen the UK’s third largest city to drive forward its flagship health mission as part of a new national pilot programme designed to transform public services and shape future policy.
The announcement places Leeds firmly at the forefront of health innovation, recognising the city’s outstanding track record and its ability to transform health and care for all.
As part of the Community Mission Challenge, Leeds will bring together local communities, civil servants, and frontline workers to co-design new health policies.
This means more of the groundbreaking solutions developed in Leeds will not only benefit and be shaped by local people, but will extend further – revolutionising care nationally and globally.
This work builds on Leeds’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which prioritises tackling health inequalities through deep and mature partnership working and world-leading research and innovation.
The news follows a recent visit from the Secretary of Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, who this June met with a partnership of the city’s leaders and hailed Leeds “a healthcare innovation powerhouse”.
Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, welcomed the announcement: “This aligns perfectly with our vision to improve the health of the poorest the fastest. Leeds is a diverse, ambitious city with a well-earned reputation for innovation in health and care, making us perfectly suited to this vital national role.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, added: “It’s only fitting that Leeds will lead the way in transforming the NHS and improving health outcomes across the UK. This government is right to listen to those who understand their communities best.”
The city’s unique partnerships and infrastructure, which comprise the Health Innovation Leeds ecosystem, include three outstanding universities, one of the largest teaching hospitals in the country and a dynamic voluntary sector.
Director of Leeds Academic Health Partnership, Kate Lodge, said: “We’re doing something special in Leeds: we’re bringing our communities together with clinical services, research, academia, local government and our third sector to tackle some of the hardest health challenges.
“It’s fantastic to see this approach recognised by national government, who have not only selected the city for this important role in transforming services and shaping future policy, but also recently chose Leeds as the location for its Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency digital hub.
“In Leeds, we are working together to build tomorrow’s healthcare today, and these moves signal huge confidence in the city as a leader nationally and globally.”
The programme, due to begin in the autumn, aims to bring central government closer to the people it serves. Plans are also in development for a secondment scheme enabling people in both central and local government to work more closely together and share expertise.
Hear more about how the UK’s third largest city is a “healthcare innovation powerhouse”, shaping the future of health policy and blazing a trail for other cities across the UK and internationally: https://healthinnovationleeds.com/latest/news/health-secretary-wes-streeting-dubs-leeds-health-innovation-powerhouse-as-government-announces-new-digital-hub-will-launch-in-the-city/