Long-Term Conditions – NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health

RESEARCH THEME

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS IN CHILDHOOD

The Need

Young people in the UK are more likely to die from asthma, be obese or overweight, or have a poor quality of life from long-term conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, than are most young people in similar countries.

Importantly, recent high-profile cases of deaths associated with mould, damp, and air pollution have brought this to the attention of local authority services and the wider public. However, resources to address the scale of the problem are scarce.

Children with long-term conditions are also at a greater risk of mental health problems, particularly around the time of diagnosis.

Research Focus

The Long-Term Conditions in Childhood theme aims to address multiple national agendas, including:

NHS Long-Term Plan
Air Pollution and Healthy Homes
England Rare Diseases Action Plan
RCPCH Epilepsy12 Audit
Core20PLUS5 for Children and Young People

This theme focuses on three areas:

Early detection and diagnosis, including addressing health inequalities, developing remote technologies, and utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Monitoring and self-management, specifically aiming to address the NHS net zero and sustainability agendas.
Prevention and education, with a focus on three of the key national priorities: childhood obesity, mental health, and sleep.

Case Studies

Co-design of software to obtain audio from children following ‘999’ and ‘111’ calls

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Immersive virtual reality to improve physiotherapy care of duchenne muscular dystrophy patients

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Materials development and pilot evaluation of 3D-printed custom-made non-invasive ventilation mask

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Team

PROF HEATHER ELPHICK

THEME LEAD

Professor Heather Elphick is a Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine and lead consultant for the respiratory service at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Heather’s main clinical interests are sleep medicine and long-term ventilation.

PROF HELEN CROSS

DEPUTY THEME LEAD

Professor Helen Cross is the Prince of Wales’s Chair of Childhood Epilepsy and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Neurology at the University College London Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for Children, and Young Epilepsy, Lingfield. Helen developed the epilepsy surgery unit at GOSH for Children and is currently Clinical Advisor to the National Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Service. Helen’s main research interest is the early intervention and improvement of outcomes in children with complex epilepsy.

DR RENUKA DIAS

DEPUTY THEME LEAD

Renuka Dias is a Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist working at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital and is an Honorary Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Birmingham. She is the Clinical Lead for the National Highly Specialised Service for Wolfram Syndrome (Children) in Birmingham. Her main research interests are in screening and management for Type 1 Diabetes and trials for rare diseases.

EMMA MOFFAT

PROJECT MANAGER

Emma Moffat is our Project Manager for the Long-Term Conditions in Childhood and Transition themes. Emma is also our first point of contact for external enquiries. Prior to joining the team, Emma worked in various project supporting roles at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust within the e-Systems and Theatres departments.

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