Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust come together for the first joint Annual General Meeting
Highlights from the 2026 AGM morning session, including AI innovation, peer support, digital inclusion, charity-funded projects and plans for closer integration between LCH and LYPFT.
Members, colleagues, service users, carers and partners came together for the morning session of the 2026 Annual General Meeting to reflect on a year of progress across Dr Sara Munro’s organisations, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH) and Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT). Presentations showcased how innovation, partnership working and a continued focus on people are improving care, supporting staff and strengthening services across Leeds, while highlighting plans to bring physical and mental healthcare closer together through the proposed integration of the two trusts.
The morning session of the 2026 Annual General Meeting brought together members, colleagues, service users, carers and partners from both Dr Sara Munro’s organisations, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, to reflect on a year of achievement, innovation and partnership working. Discussions focused on how both trusts are improving care, supporting staff and responding to growing demand while strengthening collaboration across Leeds and beyond.
A key theme throughout the morning was the planned integration of the two trusts, which aims to create a single organisation providing more joined-up physical and mental healthcare for local communities from April 2027, subject to approval.
Presentations highlighted achievements including neighbourhood health development, improvements in community and mental health services, digital innovation, co-production, workforce development and closer working with partners across the health and care system. Speakers also recognised the dedication of staff, volunteers, service users and carers whose contributions continue to improve lives every day.
Less Admin, More Care: Our Heidi AI Pilot Story in Leeds Gender Identity Service
The Leeds Gender Identity Service’s Heidi AI pilot explored how artificial intelligence could reduce the administrative burden on clinicians and create more time for patient care. Before the pilot, documentation was having a significant impact on staff wellbeing, with 72.7% of staff reporting a negative effect and more than half working beyond contracted hours to complete paperwork. Despite concerns about AI, all respondents said they would be interested in using Heidi if it could reduce documentation time.
The pilot showed that Heidi can significantly cut the time spent on clinical documentation, enabling staff to focus more fully on conversations with service users rather than dividing their attention between listening and note taking. Clinicians reported richer, more person-centred interactions, with less pressure to capture information during appointments and more opportunity to concentrate on the individual in front of them.
Service user feedback was largely positive, with 91% reporting the same or greater clinician focus and 73% feeling the same or more comfortable during appointments. While some concerns remained around privacy, data security and AI accuracy, the pilot demonstrated that transparency, patient choice and clinician oversight are essential to building trust. Overall, the project showed how AI can support staff wellbeing, improve efficiency and enhance patient care while keeping clinicians firmly in control of decision-making and documentation.
Grace Gee, role, commented to the audience:
“Heidi has helped us spend less time on paperwork and more time with people, showing how technology can support, rather than replace, compassionate and person-centred care.”
Funding projects to enhance the experiences of patients across Leeds
The Leeds Community Healthcare Charity, part of NHS Charities Together, continues to grow in scale and impact, supporting projects that go beyond NHS-funded services to improve experiences for patients, carers, volunteers and staff.
Funds are raised through community events, staff fundraising, grants, donations, legacies, corporate partnerships and payroll giving. Major supporters include local businesses and initiatives such as the London Marathon, Race Across Leeds and the Giving Voice Choir.
The charity has delivered significant benefits across Leeds, including a new sensory room and minibus at Hannah House, emergency food and care packs for people experiencing homelessness, travel support for patients attending appointments, Christmas gifts for patients in care settings, and wellbeing initiatives for staff.
The charity also plays an important role in health promotion and community engagement. A key example is the Big Heart Beat campaign, which provided CPR awareness and training to more than 200 members of the public, helping to build confidence and lifesaving skills while raising awareness of NHS services.
Dan Barnett, Deputy Director for Transformation at Leeds Community Healthcare, explained:
“The charity is there to help us enhance things over and above what we’re commissioned to do. So it’s anything that enhances things for service users, for staff, for volunteers.”
The benefits of peer support in mental health recovery
A presentation from colleagues in the Complex Psychosis Pathway and Leeds Mind explored how peer support can play a vital role in recovery. Peer support workers bring a combination of professional expertise and lived insight to help people feel connected, understood and supported throughout their recovery journey. They work alongside multidisciplinary teams, helping people build confidence, develop self-management skills and access opportunities within their communities.
The session highlighted the CHIME recovery model, focusing on connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment. Speakers explained how peer support can reduce isolation, support people to find their voice, and encourage independence by helping individuals develop the tools and confidence to manage their own wellbeing. Partnership working between voluntary sector organisations and NHS services was also highlighted as a key strength in delivering person-centred support.
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“Peer support creates a space of non-judgement, empathy and learning, helping people feel safe, seen and supported while building confidence and independence.”
Digital inclusion at the heart of Leeds Community Healthcare
Leeds Community Healthcare’s digital inclusion programme is helping ensure people are not excluded from healthcare as services become increasingly digital. The presentation highlighted that digital exclusion remains a significant issue, with millions of people lacking the skills, confidence, devices or connectivity needed to access online services. Routine screening at LCH has shown that 32% of patients cannot complete basic digital tasks, while 57% of those aged 65 and over cannot use digital services independently.
Working closely with 100% Digital Leeds and partners including Aire Logic, LCH has embedded digital inclusion into everyday care through staff training, routine digital ability assessments, referrals, signposting and practical support. Digital Health Support Hubs have delivered one-to-one help with the NHS App, appointments, video calls and online health tools, supporting more than 500 service users across nine hubs.
The presentation emphasised that digital inclusion is not about technology alone. It is about improving access to care, supporting patient choice and maintaining non-digital alternatives where needed.
Amanda Jackson, Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer and Digital Inclusion Lead, said:“Digital transformation will only succeed if everyone can benefit from it. Digital inclusion is how we make that happen.”
Page last updated: 21st Sep 2026 9:39am