On Thursday, 3 April, 2025, the Enhance community came together to mark a significant milestone.
As Enhance enters it’s forth year of delivery, with significant differences, its was a good time to reflect on the past three impactful years of supporting older people in Leeds, through innovative partnership, flexible delivery, and compassion-driven care.
The celebration highlighted what makes Enhance special: the human stories behind the data. Enhance workers have consistently gone above and beyond, and small acts of kindness are central to a model that prioritises dignity and connection.
Delivered by Leeds Older People’s Forum (LOPF) in partnership with Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and third sector delivery organisations, Enhance provides community-based healthcare support for older adults. The programme’s wider impact is also clear. By forging enduring partnerships, supporting individuals into greater community involvement, and shifting care from treatment to prevention, Enhance is helping to shape a more integrated, responsive health and care system for Leeds.
An Enhance Impact Summary was also shared at the event, highlighting key figures to date and sharing success stories:
Jo Volpe, CEO of LOPF, addressed attendees with a powerful message: Now is the time to integrate Enhance deeper into the city’s health and care infrastructure. As national policy shifts towards community-led and preventative care, Enhance stands ready as a model of best practice, already delivering on the aims of the NHS Long Term Plan and the Neighbourhood Health Scheme.
Wider Enhance news
The programme has also been celebrated in the publication of a feature article in the British Geriatrics Society’s AGENDA magazine. The piece, Thriving not just Surviving, details the latest evaluation findings and case studies, showing how Enhance improves wellbeing, prevents health deterioration, and reduces pressure on clinical services. Evaluation partners, including Leeds Beckett University and the Health and Care Evaluation Service, have found measurable system-wide benefits, from fewer emergency admissions and 111 calls, to improved independence and reduced isolation.
“Imagine a city where older adults are not just surviving but thriving – staying connected, engaged, and healthy. In Leeds, that vision is becoming a reality thanks to the city’s vibrant voluntary sector.”
Enhance Year 4
Looking ahead to Year 4, the focus will be on expanding access to those with the greatest need, particularly in areas of high deprivation and among those with long term conditions. However, the call to action remains clear – to protect and grow this model through long term investment and continued cross-sector collaboration.
Please visit the LOPF website to keep up to date with all Enhance related news, updates, key resources and learning: https://www.opforum.org.uk/projects-and-campaigns/enhance-programme/
