Leeds: A Thriving Hub for Digital Health

Leeds City Region is a thriving hub for healthcare technologies, and the arrival of Leeds Digital Health promises to further nurture the city's digital health scene. Rich McIntyre introduces the new platform – where digital health leaders and innovators can share ideas, innovations and best practice.

If you have seen Saving Lives In Leeds on BBC2 or iPlayer, you’ll know that Leeds Teaching Hospitals offer incredible services that have unparalleled capability across much of the country.

For those in the tech scene, you will have seen how we have a vibrant and talented tech community that innovates and creates incredible digital products for many national and global brands. 

Health tech in Leeds has been particularly strong with NHS Digital (Now NHSE) having a very strong presence here, not to mention key primary care systems suppliers such as TPP and Emis, but it doesn’t stop there. There are other health tech-based companies both born out of the Nexus incubator that has grown out of the University of Leeds or independently such as Pharmacy2U, and Docabode, or fantastic initiatives such as Digibete.

Something to shout about!

BJSS included, we have been involved in developing world-class health solutions, right here on our doorstep. However, many people do not know about some of the excellent work being done, we also don’t spend enough time getting to know those involved.

The tech community has been great at getting together and sharing the technical solutions being worked on across the city, it is now time to do the same with digital health products and solutions. So, we decided to create Leeds Digital Health, firstly as a community of professionals who are either creators or consumers of digital products in this space.

Initially, we will get together 3-4 times a year to network but also host 2-3 TED-style talks that will showcase the amazing work that folks are doing. We will be discussing less the actual architecture, but focussing more on products, approaches, initiatives, and how they bring positive outcomes in people’s lives.

Our next event is on the 25th May. Watch out for info in our LinkedIn group and on the Leeds Digital website.

Collaborating and getting involved

We welcome you to come along and hear these stories yourself. We are keen for you to also be part of the community to help build a stronger collaboration culture. 

Leeds Digtial Health have underpinned the planning of these events and community by forming a committee from several organisations that have bought into this vision. I want to especially thank Paul Brown, Pad Burns, and others from 6B, Michael Odling-Smee from Aire Logic, Tim East from YHAHSN, Owen Johnson from the University of Leeds, Taz Aldawoud from Docabode and I am joined from BJSS by Donna Tosney.

We are keen to partner with more organisations across the region that would like to showcase their Digital Health solutions. We have already had TPP and NHS Digital (now NHSE) talk about some of their fascinating approaches.

We look to collaborate further with Leeds City Council and the NHS to make sure that we complement and support the fantastic work that they are doing in this space. We recognise the brilliant efforts by Leeds Digital to bring together the wider tech community and will look for every opportunity to be involved.

The Future of Leeds Digital Health

I am keen that we get to know each other, what we are all doing, and look for opportunities to collaborate.

I look forward to seeing a more joined up Digital Health scene in Leeds, where our connected voice amplifies the innovation being done in Leeds. As we are better placed on the map we will attract UK, Europe, and Global attention to recognise, even further the capabilities of this region. This may then draw more investment in, which will be a win-win for everyone.

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