Workforce Innovation Projects

Our innovation workforce projects are transforming health and care across Leeds, directly aligned with the Leeds One Workforce Programme.

Each initiative drives our vision: a city where those most affected by poverty see the fastest health improvements, everyone can live healthier for longer, and people are supported to thrive from early years to later life. By building an inclusive, well-trained, and valued workforce, where professions, services, leadership, and workplaces reflect Leeds communities, we are creating the conditions for sustainable, city-wide impact.

For more information on any of the projects below, please email LHCA@nhs.net

Academy Infrastructure

The academy infrastructure is now well established across key services and platforms, including the Learning Portal, which offers free access to learning at the point of need; Career Compass, a person-centred platform to guide career decisions; and the Talent Hub, which connects communities into health and care careers by addressing root causes of the barriers many face. Together, these elements provide a strong foundation for consistent, high-quality project delivery while enabling alignment, scalability, and shared learning across the wider agenda.

Better Careers for Better Care

A multi‑year, system‑wide programme strengthening integrated neighbourhood care through shared skills, inclusive pathways, and a flexible, multi‑skilled workforce.

Children and Young People

The Children and Young People Innovation Project aims to inspire and prepare Leeds young people for careers in health and care, while strengthening the city’s workforce pipeline.

Diversification and Expansion of Clinical Placements

We’re working with partners across Leeds to broaden and rethink how clinical placements are delivered. By opening up opportunities in new settings and using workforce insights, we’re helping to create a more inclusive, flexible, and future-ready placement system.

Fairer Healthier Leeds (Health Equity Development Programme)

This programme gives health and care staff the skills and confidence to reduce health inequalities. By delivering tailored training across Leeds, we’re helping services to be more inclusive, targeted, and effective for those most at risk.

Leeds Provider Partnership – Organisational Development

Strengthening the cultural and behavioural foundations of integrated working across Leeds.

Narrowing Inequalities in Health, Work and Skills

We’re tackling inequalities in health, work, and skills by supporting people who face the biggest barriers. Through the Talent Hub and collaborative programmes, we’re opening up routes into health and care careers that are fair, inclusive, and impactful.

Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training

A system‑wide, externally funded programme building capability, consistency, and confidence in supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people.

Partnerships Leading Care

Leeds is accelerating its move towards an integrated health and care system through the “Neighbourhood Health” model. The Partnerships Leading Care (PLC) programme is designed to support cross-organisational teams in developing shared vision, collaborative skills, and implementation plans that drive integration and transformation. This programme combines in-person workshops, inter-session activities, and skills development to build the leadership and relational capabilities needed to deliver system-wide change.

Partnerships Leading Care Fellowship

Welcome to the Partnership Leading Care Fellowship cohort of 2026. The Partnerships Leading Care Fellowship is a 12-month structured development programme, where fellows from across the Leeds Health and Care sector have been asked to develop a project within their place of work aligned to one of three neighbourhood health priorities.

West Yorkshire Health and Growth Accelerator – Pillar 1

The Healthy Working Life Accelerator is a national trailblazer initiative addressing health-related economic inactivity. In Leeds, Pillar 1 is delivered by the Leeds Health and Care Academy through the Thrive @ Work programme. It takes a coaching-led, preventative approach to workforce wellbeing, supporting staff to stay in work, return after ill health, or transition to alternative roles.

Workforce mobility and system retention

The Staff Portability Framework (SPF) drives efficiencies across Leeds health and care partners, enabling seamless staff sharing, cross-project working, and stronger system retention.

Your Health, Your Career (Digital)

A health-informed navigation tool within Career Compass supporting staff with mental health, MSK and/or neurodivergent needs to make informed and proactive career choices.