Discussing healthcare and innovation

This week we sponsored the latest Chamber UK networking dinner – joined by Sonia Kumar MP and Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.

Sonia Kumar, MP for Dudley, spoke from her experience as a healthcare professional and Stephen Kinnock MP gave us an insightful glimpse into his work at the Department of Health and Social Care and the government’s strategic vision for healthcare.

Our CEO, Karl Hick, spoke at the event, highlighting Phoenix’s investments and commitments to healthcare:

"At Phoenix Sustainable Investments, our vision extends beyond traditional investment. We are actively shaping a healthier future by exploring vital healthcare-related facilities at the intersection of healthcare, housebuilding and communities and the environment.

“A key example is our patented car park house, a sustainable solution providing much-needed accommodation for nurses and junior doctors on or adjacent to hospital grounds. This innovative approach not only offers flexible rental options to attract crucial talent but also helps alleviate bed blocking by providing intermediary care spaces, ultimately freeing up essential beds for operations.

“Beyond infrastructure, our support is personal. Through the Helen Hick Stroke Foundation, we’re pioneering early stroke diagnosis innovations. We aim to significantly improve stroke survival rates, reduce long-term care burdens, and prevent the hardships and costs associated with misdiagnosis."

We were joined by Gonzalo Ladreda, CEO of Upfront Diagnostics, in which Phoenix is a major investor and partner. Upfront’s rapid stroke detection test for Large Vessel Occlusions (or LVO strokes) has garned major media attention this year – from the BBC to This Morning and The Guardian – and is currently being trialled in ambulances in Cambridgeshire.

The team just secured $4.3m in its latest funding round – which will help commercialise the test in UK and Europe as well as support regulatory approval in the US and expand the company’s research and development capabilities.

Also in attendance was Richard Broadhead, CEO of Sibson Garden Community, our major project to build a new market town in North Huntingdonshire.

Healthcare is deeply rooted in the project’s plans as we look to tie our vision to the Huntingdonshire District Council’s 2050 Place Strategy and its theme ‘Health embedded’. Whether it’s the foundation of the proposal being walkable neighbourhoods, strong community amenities and significant green space – or creating new healthcare practices and integrated facilities.

You can find out more about Sibson on the Sibson Garden Community website.