Hangzhou health chiefs visit Leeds City Region to meet potential suppliers
In November 2019, a delegation led by the Hangzhou Health Commission visited Leeds. The delegation took part in intensive workshops and visits to learn about the pioneering work on healthcare and technology taking place in the City Region.
20 March 2020
In November 2019, four medical experts from Hangzhou spent four days in Leeds. The delegation took part in intensive workshops and visits to discover the unique joined-up approach between key partners in Leeds which has led to the creation of a world-leading HealthTech and MedTech ecosystem which feeds an ever growing number of innovators in this field.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office awarded Leeds City Council a small grant from its International Programme for this project which focused on Leeds’ sector strength in health and medical technology. The project aims to utilise pioneering work on healthcare and technology in Leeds to help more people in Hangzhou to live healthier, more productive, active and creative lives and at the same time deepen existing business links between the two regions and our relationship with key decision makers.
The delegation, which included representatives from Hangzhou Health Commission and the Vice Presidents of 3 hospitals, met with experts from the NHS, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University and Co>Space North with the tech hub at Platform.
The Leeds City Region Trade and Investment team organised for the delegation to meet with some of the leading Medical Technology companies within the region. This was a great opportunity for some of our leading businesses and university innovators to showcase their expertise and products to the Hangzhou Health Commission and the Vice Presidents of the three largest hospitals in Hangzhou who have budget responsibilities.
The delegation visited Tissue Regenix, DePuy Synthes, and Brandon Medical.
The visit to Tissue Regenix gave the delegation an insight into how this small company was set up as a spin-out from the University of Leeds and is now building its market across Europe and the US for regenerative medicine.
DePuy Synthes, part of Johnson and Johnson, has redeveloped its site in Leeds into an R&D facility which is one of the leading orthopaedic facilities in the world and the visitors were able to look how the company is developing and testing new technology for hip and knee replacement products.
The visit to Brandon Medical included a tour of a mock-up operating theatre which showcases the equipment Brandon produces such as lighting, emergency power units, control panels and operating tables.