IT WAS an initiative launched to revolutionise the healthcare industry in Hull.
Ten years on and Hull-based Citycare Ltd has delivered 12 new health and community hubs as part of the £100m Local Improvement Finance Trust (Lift) Programme in the city.
The programme, which has also included an additional two major refurbishments to centres, has boosted the local economy by £234m and created more than 1,200 full-time jobs.
On Thursday night, healthcare officials and business leaders gathered at Hull's Guildhall to mark the tenth anniversary of Lift in the city.
Headline speaker Dr Sue O'Connell, chief executive of Community Health Partnerships (CHP), who invested in 49 Lift companies across the country, said: "CHP is impressed with the Citycare story – because not only has there been a strong track record of delivering major new buildings that have a significant positive impact – the Lift programme in Hull has been a truly inclusive endeavour, touching and helping to transform all parts of the health, social care and regeneration agenda in the city.
"Local people and patients want a seamless experience of healthcare and we have the best chance of achieving that when all of the organisations involved work together as closely as they have here."
Each of the new centres have characteristics that have been adopted to fit in with it surroundings.
Park Health Centre in east Hull reflects the rugby roots of the area while The Kingswood Health Centre, built in 2009, has artwork related to the geography of its surroundings.
Chris Long, area team director of NHS England, said: "When we set off on this journey almost ten years ago, the ambition was to bring together expertise and funding from the public and private sectors to help transform Hull's health and social care estate in a long-term partnership.
"The results are a reflection of the dedication of the teams involved.
"There was a lot of scepticism about Lift from other parts of the country but we embraced it in Hull.
"It has been a fantastic partnership with Citycare. They brought some valuable expertise that we would not have had at our disposal."
Citycare Ltd – a partnership between NHS Hull, Sewell Group, UME Group and community health organisations – was set up to modernise Hull's health and community care.
Jo Barnes, chief executive at Citycare, said: It has been an amazing transformation over the past ten years.
"The honesty, openness and commitment of the partnership, the NHS and Hull City Council has allowed us to deliver our aims.
"It has been a huge privilege to be a part of the programme."
Mrs Barnes said the developments will benefit the city for decades to come.
She said: "The foundations have now been set for Hull to cope with future changes to the healthcare industry.
