Government ministers, MPs and Whitehall officials were recently briefed by a Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park-led group where the £20m facility, a world first, will be built.
Richard Caborn, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park Project Lead, said; “At a time when the government is looking to step-up health care and hospitals, we could not have been better received.
“There was great enthusiasm for our scheme from a range of MPs, civil servants and representatives of key funding and health organisations.”
Following the Westminster briefing, Sheffield South East Clive Betts will now press for a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock.
Plans for the unique centre, building on remarkable, pioneering treatments developed by Sheffield Children’s Hospital and other specialist hospitals across the UK, will provide the world’s most advanced healthcare for children and young people. They include novel therapies for injuries and a range of conditions including asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and mental health.
“The meeting brought together key politicians and policymakers to support the development of the centre to ensure that the UK is a world leader in child health technology,” said Professor Paul Dimitri, Professor of Child Health and Director of Research & Innovation at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
The Centre for Child Health Technology (CCHT), to be based on Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, will co-locate with the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Oasis Academy School and University Technical College, providing unrivalled opportunities to work closely with children and young people to improve the lives, health and wellbeing of children through prevention.
Global industry leaders have said the CCHT will be the first of its kind in the world.
Prof Dimitri added: “The CCHT will provide a truly immersive environment bringing together leading global industry partners, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), academics, clinicians, designers, computer scientists, and engineers directly with patients and their families, providing rapid knowledge transfer for digital and technology development.
“Early years intervention using new, innovative, technological solutions has the potential to greatly improve the health of children as they mature, whilst demonstrating significant savings in the NHS.
“Long-term conditions in childhood, including asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, neurodisability and mental health disorders affect millions of children and cost the NHS billions of pounds annually. New technological ways of delivering children’s healthcare has the potential to save the NHS millions of pounds.”
The Centre will be part of the focus on medical innovations at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, delivered as part of the wider Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District (AMID). The cluster of health, education, and elite sports facilities will drive large-scale industry investment.
