Countess of Chester Hospital joins Purpose Coalition

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has joined a group of organisations aiming to make society fairer for all.

The Trust has signed up to a Purpose Coalition, joining more than 50 other public and private sector organisations in committing to providing equal opportunities.

As a new member of the coalition, the Trust will now produce a Levelling Up Impact Report, in partnership with former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening and former Public Health Minister Rt Hon Anne Milton, to measure its impact against 14 Levelling Up Goals.

These goals, which were created with input from businesses, universities, policymakers and regulators, cover key areas such as education, health and wellbeing, open recruitment, closing the digital divide and more.

The Levelling Up Impact Report will highlight best practice at Countess of Chester Hospital and identify where more can be done.

Justine Greening said: “NHS Trusts play a key role in society by boosting opportunity and driving levelling up in their communities. The health inequalities that exist in different communities across the UK have been highlighted even more following the coronavirus pandemic. We must continue to work together to drive change and ensure that tackling these inequalities becomes a priority across the UK.

“The Levelling Up Goals give a clear architecture for committed organisations and leaders, such as Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust and Dr Susan Gilby, to measure and articulate their purpose. I’m excited to get started on the work with the team.”

Dr Susan Gilby, Chief Executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital, said: “As an anchor organisation committed to addressing social inequalities in our community, I am immensely proud that the Trust is the first NHS acute provider organisation in the Northwest to join the Purpose Coalition. The pandemic has exacerbated and further embedded inequalities in the region, particularly in terms of health outcomes. The Levelling Up Goals framework provides a mechanism for guiding and tracking progress in tackling these inequalities. I am excited to begin work with Justine, Anne and other partner organisations to help achieve positive change for our communities.”

More information about the Purpose Coalition and the Levelling Up Goals are online here:

https://www.purposegoals.org/about

A list of organisations involved in the Purpose Coalition is online here:

https://www.purposegoals.org/organisations