National Health Innovation Campus

Why the project is needed

Today Yorkshire and the Humber have some of the worst figures in the English regions with regard to the health of its population:

• Third lowest life expectancy for both men and women;
• Highest levels of obesity;
• Second highest rate of deaths in infancy.

These are all issues that the new National Health Innovation Campus will address, working in partnership with others in the region.

The campus will feature

The Health and Wellbeing Academy, which will bring together our public-facing health facilities (clinics and research) and be a focus for entrepreneurial academic activity, linked to the needs of the local health workforce and the regional health economy.

World leading research facilities, in fields such as skin integrity and infection prevention, psychological therapies, addiction and falls prevention.

Specialist clinical teaching facilities – led by our internationally significant expertise in simulation and hi-fidelity teaching, and a focus for the beacon offer in distance and blended learning, engaged with partners who are leaders in the digital agenda.

• A mock up ‘residential home’ for use by occupational therapy, paramedic science, mental health nursing and social work / health and social care, where community-based simulated teaching can take place.
• Psychology labs – computer suites with additional specialist equipment.
• Sports specialist teaching facilities.

A full range of public facing facilities, including:

• Our award-winning Podiatry Clinic, which services the needs of staff and public and provides much needed placement opportunities for students.
• Our THRIVE telehealth service, recently established in conjunction with partners Age UK Wakefield and Aspire, delivered through placement opportunities for Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students; students work in interdisciplinary pairs with participants by video link, using a health coaching approach to support participants to identify goals and devise intervention plans.
• New Sports and Physiotherapy Clinics, parent and child clinics, mental health clinics and public facing spaces oriented to the work of social science groupings.

The campus will deliver step-changes in:

• workforce development
• health and wellbeing
• inclusion outcomes
• partnership working
• innovation
• regeneration outcomes

Enhanced health, wellbeing and social inclusion outcomes for Yorkshire and the North

The campus will directly impact on outcomes for people and communities across Yorkshire and the north. Across the English regions, Yorkshire and the Humber has the third lowest life expectancy for both men and women; the highest levels of obesity; and the second highest rate of deaths in infancy. The campus’ work will complement the local shared outcomes:

1. Best Start for Children
2. Well – people in Kirklees are as well as possible for as long as possible
3. Independent – people live independently and have control over their lives
4. Aspire and achieve – people have aspirations to achieve their ambitions through education, training, employment and life-long learning.
5. Sustainable economy – Kirklees has sustainable economic growth and provides good employment for and with communities and businesses
6. Safe and cohesive – Kirklees has sustainable economic growth and provides good employment for and with communities and businesses.

The campus will be a focus for the drive to end health and social inequality in Kirklees and across the region.

Stronger Partnership working

The campus will facilitate partnership and co-creation between the University and existing and new partners in health, care, and beyond. We know we are stronger together and are committed to building on current partnerships locally, nationally and globally, including work with service-users.

Joint appointments and clinical academic partnerships will continue to enable cultural and scholarly interaction through the education of the current and future healthcare workforce, and to facilitate research capacity-building.

As a truly civic organisation we will continue to develop our work in collaboration with our partner key anchor organisations across Kirklees and the region including local Councils, NHS Trusts, community providers and private, independent and voluntary organisations, statutory and third sector, as well as social care providers and non-statutory bodies.

The campus will be a hub for organisations working across the north of England to enable purposeful innovation and development initiatives.

Health and wellbeing innovation

The campus will enable world-leading research and innovation, and their transfer into professional practice and industry. The facilities in the new campus will provide for expansions in internationally excellent and connected projects in fields such as:

• AI applications in health
• Wound care
• Proton therapy
• Diabetes and multiple sclerosis interventions
• Mental health
• Leadership in healthcare
• Medical therapeutics and design for healthcare

Health and related research and innovation activity will quadruple in the next 10 years.