Last week, Leeds City Council, in collaboration with the Leeds Academic Health Partnership and University of Leeds, hosted a visit from healthcare leaders, businesses and investors from Sweden, who were in Leeds to hear about the city’s strengths in health technologies.
Chief Officer for Economic Development, Eve Roodhouse, presented an overview of the healthtech sector in Leeds which has over 250 health businesses and 22% of the UK’s digital health jobs. This was then followed by presentations from the Leeds Academic Health Partnership and the University of Leeds who explained the strengths and ambitions for Leeds and the City Region.
The delegation were also given a tour of the University of Leeds’ state-of-the-art Nexus building, an innovation hub connecting industry innovators with the University’s research and expertise. Here they heard about the region’s approach to driving the adoption of new technologies into the health and care system to improve people’s care and ultimately save lives.
Commenting on the visit, Swedish Medtech Chief Executive Officer Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand, said: “Many of the challenges we face in the Swedish health and care sector are similar around the world. It is invaluable to be able to learn from and be inspired by some of the work here in Leeds.”
Jo-Anne Wass, Chief Operating Officer for Leeds Academic Health Partnership, said: “We were delighted to welcome our Swedish guests and share with them some of the exciting healthtech developments across our city and our City Region.
“Connecting with international counterparts in this way is so important for making new contacts, sharing pioneering ideas and gaining new insights. This visit by our Swedish colleagues has been especially valuable.”