ABOUT

ABOUT

NIHR HRCs

The NIHR has awarded almost £42 million to establish 14 HealthTech Research Centres (HRCs), hosted by NHS Trusts across England. The NIHR HRCs were launched on 01 April 2024.

The HRCs work with businesses, industry experts, researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients to support the development and adoption of medical devices, diagnostics, and digital technologies.

The NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health is hosted by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and is the only HRC dedicated to children and young people.

We work closely with both local and national patient involvement groups to ensure children, young people, and families are included at every stage of the innovation pathway.

OUR TEAM OUR PATIENT INVOLVEMENT WORK MORE ABOUT NIHR HRCs

Research Themes

Our work is focussed on five research themes, led by expert clinicians.

Each theme aims to deliver health technologies for children, young people, and their families across the early life course (birth – 25 years).

EARLY LIFE

Preventing pre-term birth and birth-related brain injury

EARLY LIFE

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

Long-term conditions and rare diseases in childhood

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

TRANSITION

Safe and effective transition from paediatric to adult healthcare

TRANSITION

MIND-BODY INTEGRATION

Simultaneously supporting mental and physical health and wellbeing

cross-cutting theme

MIND-BODY INTEGRATION

CHILD HEALTH AI NETWORK

Using artificial intelligence and machine learning in the NHS

cross-cutting theme

CHAIN

Our Journey So Far

The NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health is built on the foundations of over a decade of work and has evolved into an organisation with global reach.

  • 2014

    1

    TITCH Network

    In 2014, the TITCH (Technology Innovation Transforming Child Health) Network was established to be a national group of experts dedicated to transforming child health through technology and innovation with the aim of addressing common problems in child health technology.

    The TITCH Network demonstrated the need for a fully funded organisation solely dedicated to the development of health technology for children, young people, and their families.

  • 2018

    2

    NIHR Children and Young People MedTech Co-operative

    In January 2018, the NIHR Children and Young People MedTech Co-operative (NIHR CYP MedTech) was established as a dedicated organisation to catalyse the development of health technologies for children, young people, and their families.

    NIHR CYP MedTech was one of the 11 NIHR MedTech and In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operatives (MICs), and received £1.1 million in funding from the NIHR over five years.

    5 YEAR IMPACT REPORT

  • 2024

    3

    NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health

    The NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health continues NIHR CYP MedTech’s work, with a specific focus on the adoption and commercialisation of health technologies for children and young people across the early life course (0-25 years).

    The 14 NIHR HRCs launched on 01 April 2024 and will run for five years. The NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health will receive £3 million from the NIHR across five years.

  • 2026

    4

    National Centre for Child Health Technology

    The NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health is closely linked with the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT), which is due to open in September 2026.

    The NCCHT will be a world-class facility, led by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, aiming to create healthier futures for children and young people through technology and innovation.

    NATIONAL CENTRE

Strategic Partners

We partner with leading organisations to catalyse the development of technologies for paediatrics and child health.

 
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© 2026 NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health