NEWS RELEASE

Release Date: IMMEDIATE

Thursday 28th November 2013

Local Care Direct wins national award for innovation

Yorkshire-based healthcare provider Local Care Direct has won the UK Social Enterprise Award for innovation.

A pioneering health project in West Yorkshirehas helped a local social enterprise scoop a prestigious national award.

Local Care Direct won the prize for innovation at the UK Social Enterprise Awards in London, hosted by Bake Off's Sue Perkins.

It's telehealth remote monitoring service is helping more than 300 people in Leeds with long term medical conditions to better manage their own health.

Local Care Direct provides a range of healthcare across West and North Yorkshire including out of hours care, GP practices, minor injury units and urgent dental services.

Dr Taz Aldawoud, Associate Director of Clinical Innovation said: "Social enterprises are all about finding new and improved ways to deliver services, improve lives and communities.We're delighted that the work and dedication of our team has been recognised".

“Working in partnership with Alere and local clinical commissioning groups our clinically-managed service model is demonstrating real benefits for patients and great potential for improved delivery of healthcare on a broader scale.”

Local Care Direct is one of the country’s leading social enterprises delivering a range of health services to people across West and North Yorkshire. It is owned by its members who are drawn from the communities it serves and it is also a major employer with more than 400 staff. Any profits made are ploughed back into services for patients..

LCD Chair Stan Hardy, TD DL, said: “Social enterprises are an incredibly powerful force for social change. They can tackle social problems, improve communities, improve people’s life chances, or protect the environment. They create shared wealth and give people a stake in the economy. “We have a fantastic team of dedicated people who work at the heart of communities delivering vital services.

“As a social enterprise we ensure the care of patients is paramount, we can give them a say in how services are delivered and when we make money we use this to sustain, improve and develop services and communities.”

ENDS

For more information please visit our website at or contact Dr Taz Aldawoud on 07795 482571 or email .

Editors Notes:

Local Care Direct was formed in 2004 by GPs to deliver an integrated out of hours services across West Yorkshire.

Today it isone of the UKs largest social enterprise organisations providing GP out of hours care, minor injuries units, urgent dental care and GP practices across West Yorkshire.

It serves around two million people every day from 21 centres in the Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees and Wakefield areas.