policy . For example , YHealth for Growth is a key case study of the Leeds Health and Social Care Hub . Over the year ahead we have ambitious plans to expand our work , increasing its contributions to key policy thinking and engaging with additional local and national stakeholders .
Another example of our work to stimulate regional investment is our digital health accelerator programme Propel @ YH which supports small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) to further develop and spread their innovations . Building on its success over the past four years , we have now introduced international Propel Boot Camps , a five-day version of the digital health accelerator course . As a result , to date , the Propel @ YH programme and Boot Camps have supported 44 SMEs and enabled £ 59k of investment into the Leeds ecosystem ( see page 13 ).
Raising the profile of the Yorkshire and Humber health innovation ecosystem
The South Yorkshire region is regularly cited as having a rich health and life sciences asset base , however there is little evidence to support this . We ’ ve been working in partnership with the South
Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority ( SYMCA ) to undertake a mapping exercise of the South Yorkshire health and wellbeing sector . The work was designed to identify the health and wellbeing assets across the region and their economic contributions , map clusters of sub-sector excellence , and recommend areas of further work . The study found that South Yorkshire ’ s health and wellbeing sector comprises 1,815 businesses who employ 89,985 people ( representing 1 in 6 people within the region ).
Collectively , the sector has an international reputation for medical devices and contributes £ 3.3b Gross Value Added ( GVA ) to the economy : representing 12 % of South Yorkshire ’ s total GVA . The study also made recommendations around investment , skills , and better marketing South Yorkshire ’ s assets to exploit further investment and economic opportunities . This work is hugely valuable , and the findings and recommendations are being used to inform SYMCA ’ s future marketing , development , and international ambitions . We are also using this work to inform our own approach to marketing the region to potential investors and collaborators across national and international boundaries .
Similarly , we have been working with partners from across West Yorkshire and the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) to develop the Leeds Health and Social Care Hub . The hub is designed to build upon existing regional partnerships and bring together the DHSC and key local organisations , creating a community of experts to improve local healthcare and tackle health disparities . The hub is also intended to position Leeds as a key location for professionals seeking careers in health and social care , helping to retain and develop talent to tackle regional workforce shortages , whilst also providing a boost to the local economy . As a founding partner of the hub , we look forward to continuing working with other local organisations and colleagues from DHSC to utilise the hub as an opportunity to effect change across the region and further market the region ’ s strengths and assets .
Growing the impact , scale , and reach of the Yorkshire and Humber health innovation ecosystem
We have been , and continue to be , actively engaged with NHS England ’ s Greener NHS programme , on both a regional
11 Transforming Lives Through Innovation