Better Leeds Communities in Burley Park will host a member of staff whose role is to support the development, delivery, and coordination of digital inclusion across the local area. The Digital Inclusion Officer post is being advertised until Tuesday 2 May with interviews taking place Friday 5 May.
Though hosted by Better Leeds Communities, the new Digital Inclusion Officer will work with a range of partners across the Woodsley and Holt Park Local Care Partnership (LCP) area. They will take a place-based approach to improving and increasing the digital inclusion support available to meet the needs of local communities. The Digital Inclusion Officer will be matrix-managed by 100% Digital Leeds and we expect to see the addition of more place-based roles linked to LCP areas in the near future.
“At Better Leeds Communities we are acutely aware of the rapid rise of digital health technologies and the challenges this poses to people in our community who do not have the skills or means to engage with these technologies. We are delighted to be hosting the Digital Inclusion Officer for the Woodsley and Holt Park area.”
Taira Kayani, Chief Executive Officer at Better Leeds Communities
Supporting digital inclusion for health participation locally
The post supports the continued development of Digital Health Hubs across the Woodsley and Holt Park LCP, community partners supporting the digital inclusion needs of local communities to improve digital health participation and reduce health inequalities.
Forming a network of Digital Health Hubs is part of the implementation of the 100% Digital Leeds community-based approach to digital inclusion for improved health participation, delivered in partnership with Local Care Partnerships. There are currently 27 Digital Health Hubs in Leeds, across York Road and Beeston and Middleton LCP areas.
“Hosting this post affords BLC the opportunity to increase our commitment to enabling people to improve their health outcomes. By enabling us to work with community partners to increase digital health participation, thereby reducing health inequalities, the post will create lasting impact in our community.”
Taira Kayani, Chief Executive Officer at Better Leeds Communities
The city-wide roll out of place-based Digital Health Hub networks
The approach is being rolled-out across the city with Hubs currently in development across Woodsley and Holt Park, HATCH, Central, and Morley LCPs. This development wave has been supported with £220,000 NHS Health Inequalities funding which has seen 15 community organisations receive funding for the purchase of digital equipment or the recruitment of staff to support digital inclusion. Successsful organisations include Moortown Baptist Church, Caring Hands, Moor Allerton Elderly Care, Leeds Irish Health and Homes, Feel Good Factor, Applebox Company, St Vincents, Hamara, Leep1, Burmantofts Senior Action, HAVA, Carers Leeds, and Bevan Healthcare.
This NHS Health Inequalities funding has also supported the recruitment of a Digital Inclusion Officer to support digital inclusion development in the York Road LCP area, hosted by The Old Fire Station, the first community organisation in the city to host such a role. 100% Digital Leeds and The Old Fire Station were pleased to welcome Chris Bamber into the role earlier this week.
A further two development waves will see the roll out of Digital Health Hubs across the remaining LCPs over the next couple of years.
“Local Care Partnerships aim to bring organisations together and pool resources to be able to support communities better together. The new role at The Old Fire Station is a really exciting development, a way of making sure that all of the Digital Health Hubs in the LCP get the support they need for local people.”
Kim Adams, Programme Director, Local Care Partnerships Development Programme
The Digital Inclusion Officer post is currently open for applications. The closing date is 12 noon Tuesday 2 May with interviews taking place Friday 5 May.