This year’s sold-out conference, held at Cloth Hall Court in Leeds city centre, focused on enhancing patient care at the LTHT. It was opened by our Chief Executive Professor Phil Wood and saw over 300 attendees eagerly participating in discussions and presentations.
Professor Wood praised the Trust’s prominent position in healthcare research and innovation, highlighting remarkable achievements in research participation. From April 2023 to March 2024, LTHT successfully recruited 25,695 participants into 131 active research studies during. He emphasised the Trust’s commitment to translating scientific advancement into enhanced patient care, along with plans for collaboration, infrastructure development, and tackling health inequalities to foster a healthier future for all.
The conference featured many accomplishments and projects aligned with these themes in its main sessions. Dr Adam Glaser, Director of CHORAL (Child Health Outcomes Research at Leeds), outlined strategies to improve children’s healthcare, integrate academic training for staff, and address the needs of paediatric medical research.
Dr Sal Uka, Medical Director at the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), presented a collaborative perspective on research and innovation, focusing on creating opportunities and addressing healthcare inequalities across the region.
We were also heard an exciting presentation by Dr Nisha Sharma, Director of the Breast Screening Programme for Leeds and Wakefield, who discussed a UK-first trial investigating the use of AI in breast cancer screening.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Magnus Harrison attended to present the R&I CSU awards and the abstract submission awards, recognising the excellent work done by staff in support of the Trust’s research and innovation culture.
Our sponsors, Leeds Hospitals Charity, were proud to attend the conference and provide funding to support this event. They especially valued the opportunity to discuss the new funding programme for 2024/25 and the new funding opportunities for research and innovation with Dr Harrison and staff.
Leeds Hospitals Charity Chief Executive, Esther Wakeman, addressed the conference about their support of research and funding opportunities. The Charity is looking for a range of projects and initiatives that will improve experience for patients at LTHT, leading to enhanced service delivery and clinical outcomes.
A big thank you to all our sponsors for making the event possible, especially our Platinum sponsors AbbVie, Exponential-e, DNV Imatis, and Johnson & Johnson Medtech.
The conference was closed by our guest speaker Ruth Eldacott, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). She concluded the day with an inspiring talk on the importance of research and patient involvement in the process.
With over 300 attendees this year, LTHT’s Research & Innovation Conference was a great success and showcased the Trust’s commitment to enhancing patient care through collaboration. Pioneering projects addressing healthcare inequalities were highlighted, with vital support from sponsors like Leeds Hospitals Charity. We are grateful to all participants, speakers, and sponsors for their contributions. Looking forward to 2025!