Professor Charles Egbu, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University, and members of his team were recently invited to the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust city centre site where they were updated on plans for two new hospitals under one roof, one for adults and one for children. They discussed how the University can support the NHS locally in delivering against the Long-Term Work Force Plan and were also introduced to some new health tech solutions in their Innovation Pop Up.

The building is a part of the Hospitals of the future project overseen by Leeds Innovation Arc, a Leeds City Council-led project aiming to drive regeneration, innovation and economic growth for Leeds and the wider region.

Leeds Trinity University is an anchor institution of the Innovation Arc, and Professor Egbu sits on the Leeds Innovation Partnership Board, which works to foster a culture of innovation as part of the Inclusive Growth Strategy.

Professor Egbu and his team were welcomed and given a guided tour by James Goodyear, Director of Strategy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. James, along with his colleagues Alison Wilkinson, Building the Leeds Way Strategic Workforce Lead, and Katie Robinson, Associate Director of Nursing, provided updates on the progress of the planned new hospitals building and the far-reaching health and economic benefits as a result of the ‘Innovation Village’, which will made up of the two new hospitals as well as repurposed existing buildings to form a world-class hub for research, innovation and technology in health and life sciences.

Professor Egbu was also shown the Innovation Pop Up, located in the Gilbert Scott building, which is an integral part of the Building the Leeds Way development programme and key to creating the new Innovation Village.

Leeds Trinity University is committed to investing in and supporting the development of the city centre, with its new Leeds City Campus to open its doors later this year. The campus, located at 1 Trevelyan Square in the very heart of the city, will sit within the Innovation Arc.

The University is also supporting the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which focuses on retaining existing talent and making the best use of new technology alongside the biggest recruitment drive in health service history. The delivery of teaching in Leeds Trinity’s new, purpose-built Health and Life Sciences building began for the first time this month, with degrees in Adult Nursing, Learning Disabilities Nursing and Mental Health Nursing on offer. On successful completion of their course, graduates will be eligible to apply to register with the NMC to work as a nurse in the UK, helping to address key public sector workforce needs in the Leeds City Region and beyond.

Professor Charles Egbu, Vice Chancellor at Leeds Trinity University, said: “It was a pleasure to join our partners at Leeds Teaching Hospitals to hear about the plans for the new Innovation Village and how it will support the people of Leeds.

“Having just expanded our Health and Social Care course provision and facilities at Leeds Trinity University, this strengthens our position as an anchor institution and our role within the Innovation Partnership in the city region. It is the University’s ambition to support the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and this week’s visit at Leeds General Infirmary was a key opportunity to establish our next steps. We look forward to the next stages of this partnership and to further demonstrating the impact of our students and staff in the city and within the healthcare sector.”

James Goodyear said: “I was delighted to host Leeds Trinity University Vice Chancellor Professor Charles Egbu with members of the Leeds Trinity Executive and Faculty teams to tour the site of our future state of the art hospital. With Leeds Trinity University set to open a new campus in Leeds City Centre and our own vision for creating a future world class global innovation village, the visit was a great opportunity to share the progress we’ve made so far and how we’re already contributing to what is a vibrant and growing health tech innovation space in the city.  

“There is so much potential for identifying common ground for future cross-organisational collaborations for both our future hospital and innovation village including how we can develop and retain a regional health and care workforce, impact positively on health inequalities and identify priority areas for research and knowledge exchange. This ongoing dialogue is a key part of the approach we plan to take in building strong partnerships for the future.”

For more information on Leeds Trinity University’s new Leeds City Campus, visit the website.