Medicines regulator to open digital hub in Leeds to help Yorkshire lead 'global tech revolution in healthcare'
A new digital hub for the medicines regulator in Leeds will help Yorkshire lead the “global tech revolution in healthcare”, the Health Secretary has said.
Wes Streeting will visit the city today to see the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) open its new base at the University of Leeds.
Ahead of the launch, Mr Streeting said: “There is a global tech revolution in healthcare unfolding, and Yorkshire will help our country lead it.
“This isn’t just about creating new jobs across the region – it’s also about bolstering a city that’s already leading the way in digital health.”
The Health Secretary said the new digital hub will deliver better outcomes for patients, as well as driving links with Yorkshire’s NHS institutions and world-class universities.
“Driving forward digital transformations like these through our plan for chance will mean scientists get data for research quicker, inspectors can develop tech to spot problems quicker, and patients get better results,” Mr Streeting explained.
“As a healthcare innovation powerhouse, Leeds is the perfect place to bring together the MHRA’s regulatory expertise with a thriving tech community, world-class universities, and strong NHS presence.”
It’s the latest major public body to expand into the city, with the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority both growing their teams in Leeds.
NHS England has its headquarters in Wellington Place, and Mr Streeting recently confirmed that Leeds would remain his department’s second city after London even when the quango is abolished.
This would also be the location of the new MHRA digital hub, which the Department for Health and Social Care said was selected for Leeds’ expertise in digital health and its strong academic base.
Lawrence Tallon, chief executive of the MHRA, said: “We want regulation of health technologies to move at the pace of innovation.
“As part of our continued commitment to being a truly national regulator, we are opening a new base amongst one of the UK’s thriving tech hubs in Leeds.
“By establishing an MHRA hub in Leeds, we’re strengthening our ability to collaborate with partners across the North of England – bringing regulatory expertise closer to the people, organisations and innovations we serve.”