New therapy and rehabilitation centre opens in Dewsbury

Jo Cox Therapies opening with Talib Yaseen, Kim Leadbeater, Andrew Hodge, Kate Wright, Annie Jacques.

Pictured left to right: Talib Yaseen (Chief Nursing Officer), Kim Leadbeater MP, Andrew Hodge (Director of Allied Health Professions), Kate Wright (Service Lead for Outpatient Therapies), Annie Jacques (Deputy Director of Operations - Therapies and Clinical Psychology).

A new therapy and rehabilitation centre named after the late Jo Cox has today been officially opened by her sister, Kim Leadbeater MP, at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Part of an ongoing capital investment at the hospital by The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, this new centre brings together a range of allied health professionals including dietitians, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to provide ongoing care and support for patients once they have been discharged from hospital.

Kim Leadbeater, MP for Batley and Spen, said: “It means a great deal to me and my family that the Trust have named this centre after my sister. Jo was born at Dewsbury Hospital, as I was, so it was a particular pleasure for me to be invited to come along today.

“We all understand the pressures the NHS is under, but it’s more important than ever to keep services like this available locally to people in Batley and Spen and the wider area. My great passion is shifting the focus more towards prevention and keeping people well rather than just helping them when they get ill. This centre clearly has an important role to play in that so I look forward to seeing all the good work the staff here will be doing in the months and years to come. For my part, I will do everything I can to support that work.”

The centre expects to treat over 400 patients per week, helping them to recover following illness, surgery or injury, as well as supporting those who have respiratory and neurological conditions or need input from a dietician or speech and language therapist to support their health and wellbeing.

Talib Yaseen, Chief Nursing Officer at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust also attended the official opening with Kim. He said: “I’m delighted to see the Jo Cox Therapies and Rehabilitation Centre officially open. This unit brings a range of therapies together under one roof, supporting best practice, whilst improving patient journey and experience.”