Read: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust signs up to new levelling up framework

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has joined a growing number of purpose-led organisations by committing to a new set of levelling up measurements.

In partnership with former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening and former Public Health Minister Rt Hon Anne Milton, Countess of Chester Hospital will now produce a Levelling Up Impact Report to measure its impact against the Levelling Up Goals.

The Levelling Up Impact Report will highlight best practice at Countess of Chester Hospital and identify where even more can be done to spread opportunity in the communities it operates.

Established last year with input from businesses, universities, policymakers and regulators, the Levelling Up Goals are a set of clear objectives for the UK's levelling up challenge in the wake of Covid-19.

Countess of Chester Hospital joins a coalition of NHS and public sector organisations measuring their social impact against the goals, as well as a range of businesses within the private sector.

A long-term campaigner on social mobility and levelling up both inside and now outside of Parliament, in 2018 Justine Greening co-founded the Social Mobility Pledge to bring organisations together to improve social mobility. The Levelling Up Goals are the first major piece of work launched by the most committed of these organisations, the Purpose Coalition.

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.”

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust Chief Executive, Dr Susan Gilby 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.”