This week’s leadership message comes from Anna Basford, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Transformation at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Posted on: 28 November 2025

Image of Anna Basford CHFT Foundations for Our Future Programme

Hello, my name is Anna.

At Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT), our vision is to deliver outstanding compassionate care to the communities we serve. I am pleased to share with you how we’re turning that vision into reality through implementation of the 'Foundations for Our Future' programme.

We are halfway through implementing this programme, which is transforming care by creating modern facilities, improving patient access and providing exceptional working environments to attract and retain skilled colleagues.

We have worked closely with patients and communities to ensure their views are at the centre of our plans. They told us our buildings must feel healing, therapeutic, welcoming, calm and filled with natural light, whilst ensuring privacy and dignity, and enabling social interaction. Accessibility, inclusivity and support for diverse patient needs have been central to our designs.

Highlights of the programme so far include:

Our new Accident and Emergency (A&E) department at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) opened in May 2024 and is twice the size of the old A&E which dated back to the 1960s. The move to a new A&E meant we were also able to re-purpose the old A&E to provide urgent same day emergency care. The combined impact of these developments has enabled a step-change in our A&E waiting time performance to achieve the 4-hour standard.

At Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH) we have worked with patients, public and colleagues to develop detailed designs for a new clinical building. We recently gained full planning permission for this development that will increase the overall hospital size by around 50%. Due for completion in 2029, it will provide eight new wards and a new emergency department with separate areas for adults and children. Looking at the flythrough will give you a sense of the scale of the development.

We have also moved services which are normally provided in hospital, into community diagnostic centres (CDCs). Our CDC in Halifax, located opposite the town centre’s bus station, has been open for over a year and has delivered more than 80,000 diagnostic tests out of hospital. The CDC has been nationally recognised as a best practice example of reducing inequalities by bringing services into convenient, easily accessible community locations. The CDC has meant we can offer a ‘straight to test’ model for faster cancer diagnosis, and we were recently named the best performing trust in the country for cancer access.

Our second CDC will open in the new year as part of the University of Huddersfield Health Innovation Campus. You can see a snapshot of how it will look in this flythrough video. The CDC will be an important part of our local partnership working and building our future workforce. It will sit alongside specialist clinical teaching facilities and provide opportunities for practical experience as part of new academic course areas such as diagnostic radiography.

Other developments in the programme include the relocation of the Child Development Unit (Rainbow Hub) to the community, a new Learning and Development Centre at CRH and construction of a much-needed multi-storey car park at CRH that will open in 2026.

Patients have told us how calm our new Huddersfield A&E feels, how welcoming our CDCs are, and how the technology and family friendly areas in our Rainbow Child Development Centre is helping reduce anxiety for children and families.

These investments are supporting the local economy through the creation of jobs, apprenticeships and skills development. They are also supporting sustainability and carbon reduction goals. Working with our construction partner, Laing O’Rourke, our social value plan for the new clinical build at CRH will bring economic benefit and create further opportunities for our local communities.

Every development is under-pinned by a ‘digital by design’ approach to improve access, support people in managing their own health and enable colleagues to deliver seamless best-practice care.

I am proud of the progress we’ve made so far to deliver the Foundations for Our Future programme, and grateful for the support from partners across West Yorkshire. I am looking forward to continuing this journey to ensure the full benefits are realised.

If you would like to find out more about Foundations for our Future or sign up for updates, visit our website: https://future.cht.nhs.uk/home

Thank you for reading,

Anna

We also have a blog from Dr Sunil Daga, MBBS MRCP (Nephrology) PhD FRCP Edin. Clinical Associate Professor FMH – University of Leeds; Honorary Consultant Renal Transplant Physician, Leeds Teaching Hospital

M62 divider and kidney health - reflections on my tenure as CKD lead for West Yorkshire ICB and Yorkshire and Humber Kidney Clinical Network

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant but often under-recognised health challenge. In the UK, one in ten individuals over the age of 35 already has moderate kidney damage, yet awareness remains low. The burden of kidney disease is rising rapidly: dialysis prevalence is predicted to increase by over 400% by 2033, and poor kidney health is projected to become the fifth leading cause of premature death. Bringing this condition into the limelight and embedding kidney health as a system priority has been a central focus of my tenure as West Yorkshire CKD lead.

It has been a privilege to support this work during a period of significant system transformation for integrated care systems nationally, and to contribute to improving outcomes for patients living with, or at risk of, CKD. Following my time as a West Yorkshire Health Equity Fellow, I share many highlights of the journey towards improved kidney health outcomes with several equally passionate colleagues across West Yorkshire ICB and within the Yorkshire and Humber Kidney Clinical Network.

You can read Sunil’s full blog on the Partnership website

On behalf of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, we would like to thank Sunil for his outstanding clinical leadership, his enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to advancing high-quality and equitable kidney health for all. Sunil’s leadership and passion have been truly inspiring, and it is a privilege to work alongside someone who consistently drives positive change in such an important area of care.

What's been happening this week?

HSJ Award winners

A number of ICB and partner projects were recognised at the HSJ awards last week. Congratulations to all involved

Digitising patient care award - winner: Bradford District Care FT and Bradford District and Craven ICB, improving the patient experience in talking therapies with clinical AI.
Staff wellbeing award – highly commended: West Yorkshire staff mental health and wellbeing hub: supporting West Yorkshire’s workforce to be well at work: a multi-level and whole system approach.
Transforming care for older people award – highly commended: Leeds Health and Care Partnership: HomeFirst – integrating intermediate care in Leeds.

Getting it right first time at Wharfedale

A huge well done to the Wharfedale Hospital surgical hub team which has been successfully accredited for delivering high clinical standards as part of the national Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) assessment scheme.

GIRFT is run by NHS England in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, assessing surgical hubs against a framework of standards to help deliver faster access to some of the most common surgical procedures.

This accreditation recognises the high quality of the clinical care delivered and the excellent experience patients receive and can expect at Wharfedale. Congratulations to the team.

Helping Wakefield’s workforce stand strong

Palpitations and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) can have a huge impact on daily life, especially for young women. These conditions affect how the body regulates heart rate and blood pressure, often causing dizziness, a racing heartbeat and fainting spells.

To help people stay well and stay in work, we developed the 'Standing Strong' programme in Wakefield District. Based at Health Care First, Pinfold Branch in Methley, it brings together GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, psychotherapists and vocational coaches to give joined-up support to people living with palpitations and PoTS.

Standing Strong provides integrated diagnosis, rehabilitation, psychological support and vocational guidance. The team focuses on the whole person, not just their symptoms, helping them rebuild confidence and return to work or education when they’re ready.

This activity is part of Healthy Working Life, a joint programme of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. Read more on our Healthy Working Life case study pages

Recognition for local CAMHS Eating Disorder Team

The Wakefield CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health service) eating disorder team from South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was recently nominated for an award at the Royal College of Psychiatrists Annual Awards 2025 held in London earlier in November. The nomination recognised the bravery of the children sharing their lived experience in My Anorexia Story and highlighting the commitment and innovation within the service.

Although the booklet did not win on this occasion, the event was an inspiring celebration of excellence across mental health services nationally. It provided a valuable opportunity to learn from outstanding practice and innovative approaches showcased by colleagues from across the country.

This recognition reflects the dedication of the children who so courageously shared their stories in the hope of helping other children. And a team who continue their commitment to delivering high-quality, compassionate care and striving to improve outcomes for children and young people with eating disorders.

Mid Yorkshire expert practitioners shortlisted for University of Bradford Career Impact Award

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has been shortlisted for a prestigious University of Bradford Career Impact Award in the category of 'Placement Provider with Outstanding Innovation', recognising the exceptional support provided to students within the Histopathology team. Find out more on the trust website.

Celebrating primary care

A new NHS England video has just been published that celebrates the hard work of primary care colleagues across the North East and Yorkshire region this winter, including West Yorkshire. You can watch on the NHSE website.