Our third Business Forum, focused on Health & Wellbeing will be held at the STADA EXPO at the University of Huddersfield on Wednesday 25th September. You can book tickets here.
The STADA Expo will be hosted at the University of Huddersfield, by global pharmaceutical giant, STADA Thornton & Ross, which has a local UK head office in Slaithwaite and a production site in Linthwaite.
As we get closer to the event, we sat down with Liz Towns-Andrews OBE, Huddersfield Unlimited director, and Head of Regional & Business Engagement for the National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC) at The University of Huddersfield, to hear all about the ongoing development of the NHIC and her vision for the future.
- Can you give us an overview of the NHIC project?
“The Daphne Steele building is the first of the planned buildings on the seven-acre National Health Innovation Campus in Huddersfield that will improve health outcomes and lead innovation in healthcare for the North of England. Inspiring healthcare professionals in the future, the building is named in honour of Daphne Steele, the UK’s first black matron, who emigrated to the UK from Guyana in the 1940s.”
- Why is a centre of this kind vital? And why is Huddersfield the perfect place to host it?
“Our region faces some of the biggest health challenges in the country and it is here at the National Health Innovation Campus that the next generation of healthcare professionals will learn the skills and knowledge needed to address these challenges.
“Within the Daphne Steele building, there will be world leading research facilities, specialist clinical teaching and a range of public facing services including our award-winning Podiatry clinic. The university is already the leading provider of apprenticeships in nursing and allied health in the region, and thanks to the Daphne Steele building we will be able to grow this provision by another 60% in the next five years.
“We have an outstanding track record in providing courses in vital healthcare services such as nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy and the campus will provide the next level in learning environments for healthcare students.”
- Tell us more about the Daphne Steele building?
“The Daphne Steele building, like all the buildings that will follow on the campus, is designed with the health and well-being of staff, students and visitors in mind. In fact, it will be the first higher education building in the UK to be built to the platinum WELL building standard. In fact, all seven planned buildings on campus will be WELL platinum which makes this a unique site in the UK and one of only 30 in the world delivering WELL at scale.”
- How with the NHIC benefit the wider town?
“The campus will deliver a major boost to the regeneration of Huddersfield Town centre, bringing in jobs and investment opportunities. It is also a key geographic site within the West Yorkshire Investment Zone (IZ) footprint. The £160 million ten-year long IZ scheme will focus on local innovation in health and well-being, acting as a catalyst for new and existing organisations to invest and develop the campus and surround area.
“Construction of the second campus building has commenced and will include an NHS Community Diagnostic Centre together with a Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre. The opportunities for industry investment are significant with public-private partnerships being a key part of the network and ecosystem which is currently being built.
“More exciting developments are planned for future buildings on the Campus which will lead the drive to improve health outcomes and drive economic prosperity across the North of England and beyond. Interested parties are encouraged to get in touch directly or via Huddersfield Unlimited.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the National Health Innovation Campus and joining us for our Health & Wellbeing Business Forum at the STADA EXPO this September, further information and tickets can be found on Eventbrite.
