Leeds Hospitals Charity has announced Rebecca Baldaro-Booth as its new Director of Grants and Impact.

The new senior role aims to strengthen its mission supporting the largest teaching hospital in Europe – Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

The charity funds life-saving equipment, treatments, and research for the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, one of the busiest hospitals in the UK, where 22,000 NHS staff care for over a million patients every year.

As well as funding improved patient care, Leeds Hospital Charity invests in innovative medical research and has led on groundbreaking appeals, including the Rob Burrow Centre for MND Appeal.

Rebecca takes on the role at a pivotal time as the charity is set to donate £3.5 million in 2025/6 to projects tackling health inequalities, driving health technology and innovation, and developing new treatments for rare diseases.

After working in university academic partnerships for many years for Leeds Beckett University, Rebecca joined Leeds Hospitals Charity in March 2018 as a Development Manager before becoming Head of Grants in 2020.

Over the past five years, Leeds Hospitals Charity has made grants of over £28 million to improve patient care and support NHS staff across all eight of the Trust’s hospitals.

Rebecca’s new role oversees the charity’s strategic grant-making process, ensuring funding has a measurable and lasting impact. She will also oversee the expansion of its volunteer service, further improving patient experience across its hospital sites.

Rebecca said: “It’s a real privilege to take on this important role. Our grants support pioneering and life-enhancing innovations that have a direct and lasting impact on patient care. I look forward to working closely with our partners to continue making a difference to patient lives and staff wellbeing.”

Recent advances the charity has funded to improve patient care include surface-guided radiotherapy eliminating the need for permanent tattoos in cancer care, virtual reality headsets as a distraction tool for children in hospital, and providing Comfort Care Packs to families of end-of-life patients.

Over the last five years, it has invested £7.06 million to kickstart research projects across Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

Rebecca added: “Leeds is at the forefront of so many extraordinary research projects that have the potential to transform outcomes for patients across Yorkshire and beyond. We’re committed to funding new and ongoing studies offering hope to patients living with life-limiting conditions. It’s also vital we continue to fund early career researchers in Leeds, unlocking career progression and spearheading life-changing, ground-breaking research.”

Becky will lead a robust grants programme that funds both large and small-scale projects.

Grant applications are open to NHS staff, researchers, and allied health professionals with a direct line of sight to patient care in Leeds.

Esther Wakeman, Chief Executive at Leeds Hospital Charity, said: “Rebecca’s appointment signals the charity’s continued investment in innovation and impact. She brings expertise and energy to a role that is central to improving health outcomes and enhancing the patient experience across Leeds. She will also help leverage additional investment through matched funding and philanthropic support, further strengthening our city’s position as a hub for world class healthcare and research..”