The region is home to more than 670 life sciences companies, 500 of them in medtech. That’s more companies than Oxford and Cambridge combined.

Leeds alone has over a fifth of the total digital health jobs across the UK. Four of the five NHS national offices are based in Leeds, including NHS England. It also houses some of the world’s largest healthcare data platforms, including the head office of NHS Digital, the national information and technology partner to the health and social care systems, who have just moved to the new government hub in Wellington Place, with the fit-out completing in early January.

Going forward, healthcare and medical technologies will be key growth sectors in the region. This is true both for traditional healthcare services and new disruptors.

For example, the experience of coronavirus and lockdown has accelerated the need for telemedicine, where medical professionals can carry out consultations and some treatments remotely.

The region has an exceptional talent pool, with over 196,000 people employed in health and science jobs, while the region’s nine universities produce over 15,000 STEM graduates each year. It is home to six world-leading life science clusters of academic excellence and commercial innovation, with the largest concentration of medical device companies in the UK.

Although Yorkshire is home to some of the largest employers in Europe, 79% of digital health businesses are SMEs. A large proportion of these are based in Leeds. The city has to make sure that it has the right building stock to accommodate these growing companies if they are to remain.

Leeds has the bold ambition to be the Best City for Healthcare. The region is already a growing hub for health. With a cluster of over 200 different businesses, and accounting for a fifth of all UK digital health technology jobs in the UK, it is well-positioned to achieve its goal.

View all of our latest Yorkshire Cross Sector research here.

_{Read the articles within Yorkshire: A region of opportunity below.}