Healthy Communities Together (HCT) is a collaborative initiative dedicated to transforming healthcare systems and reducing health inequalities for some of the most marginalised communities in Leeds; Refugees and Asylum seekers, Gypsies and Travellers, Sex Workers, and Trans and Non-Binary communities.
By placing people with lived experience at the heart of service design and decision-making, HCT ensures that healthcare services are tailored to meet the real needs of these communities.
HCT builds upon an existing solidarity network of Leeds-based voluntary and community sector organisations. The knowledge gained through these partnerships is shared widely to inform future actions and drive systemic change across the healthcare landscape in Leeds and West Yorkshire.
The solidarity network includes Yorkshire MESMAC, Leeds Asylum Seeker Support Network (LASSN), Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Leeds GATE), Basis Yorkshire and collaborates with Leeds City Council Public Health, the NHS, and other key stakeholders to drive systemic change.
HCT Leeds is supported by The Kings Fund and funded by The National Lottery.
HCT prioritises working with individuals rather than imposing solutions, maximizing the strengths and skills of people in Leeds.
The project believes that systems that include marginalised communities better serve everyone, ensuring that “nothing about us without us” is a guiding principle
HCT emphasizes the importance of co-design and collaboration, using bold and innovative techniques to facilitate learning and action.
HCT is committed to not gatekeeping knowledge but sharing learning freely to enable meaningful interactions between community members and healthcare professionals.
The project works alongside existing health structures to improve overall outcomes, leveraging the strengths of Leeds’ third sector and anchor organisations.
The knowledge gained through these partnerships is shared widely to inform future actions and drive systemic change across the healthcare landscape in Leeds.
