1 December 2025

Job creation, investment in local and regional communities, educational opportunities and donations to good causes, are just some of the incredible social benefits generated as part of the programme to develop a new hospital in Crewe. 

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Healthier Futures programme has published its first annual social impact report, which highlights how major investment delivers improvements for local people, long before the construction of the new Leighton Hospital begins.

Among the key successes highlighted in the report are: 

  • £1,231,564 of social value delivered to communities across the north west 

  • £30,400 pledged in funds and in-kind donations, including thousands of pounds being donated to Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity to fund an arts project this Christmas  

  • 40 new jobs created 

  • 981 students reached through STEM enhancement activity 

  • 27 weeks of meaningful work placements undertaken 

  • 12% of programme spend to local/regional communities 

As the project edges closer to construction, the Trust expects the scale of these benefits to grow significantly. Over the next two years, the programme will focus on: 

  • exploring new routes for local SMEs and VCSEs to be part of, and benefit from, our project. 

  • targeting 20% of our spend to remain in the North West region, with greater focus on our priority communities. 

  • expanding our Dream Big programme to reach more primary schools, while engaging more students through industry-led curriculum enhancement. 

  • increasing the number of staff and supply chain partners who take part in volunteering. 

Social value is about creating economic, social and environmental impacts by ensuring every pound spent by the NHS goes further. This creates benefits not just in healthcare, but across communities, from good jobs and strong local businesses to a cleaner environments and healthier communities.

Russ Favager, the Trust’s Board Senior Responsible Officer for the Leighton New Hospital Programme, said: “ Our ambition is to be a catalyst for lasting change that goes beyond buildings and the provision of care. Even though we are only one year in, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made so far. We are in this for the long term and excited to continue working side by side with our local partners so that this investment delivers the greatest possible benefit to our communities.”

Read the full report here.

Back to Latest news