Platform Leeds Helps Healthcare

Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) director to develop a world-leading cluster of life science businesses to develop fast moving crisis.

11:08 13 July 2020

Dr Kath Mackay, the director of the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) hopes to bring together research and innovation organisations to develop an effective response to a fast-moving crisis. 

 

The NHSA, which was established by NHS Hospital Trusts in the North of England, links universities and four academic health science networks. 

 

Ms Mackay said: "The NHSA covers a 16m population and is supported by 10 universities. It's like a Northern Powerhouse for health sciences which brings together research and innovation organisations at a time when health is at the forefront of people's minds because of Covid-19." 

 

"One of the key challenges is for us to lobby for action to reduce health inequalities. We know Covid-19 is bringing real health inequalities when it comes to having contact with the virus." 

 

She added: "Our Platform development in Leeds is at the heart of technology innovation and the home of tech in Leeds. At Alderley Park, we have 200 businesses who are all playing a role addressing the healthcare challenges of our time. It creates a culture where they learn and mix with each other." 

 

"Much of the success of the businesses in both cities can be attributed to being right at the heart of the wider Northern health eco-system. They could have a valuable interaction with Platform, which establishes a tech interface between the classic life sciences, technology and digital healthcare."