Together we power care: a strategy for Great Ormond Street Hospital

Every day at Great Ormond Street Hospital I see what is possible when we come together in service of care. Across wards, clinics, laboratories, and offices our colleagues bring skill, dedication, and pride to every interaction. Every action matters. Every effort counts. We have listened. Patients, families, staff, and partners have told us what works, what must change, and what will make the biggest difference. Their voices guide this strategy, shaping our priorities, focusing our energy, and inspiring our ambition.

The world around us is shifting. Across the NHS, demand is rising, resources are tight, and pressures on specialist care are at their highest. At GOSH we face one of the most challenging periods in our history.

We launch this strategy at a time of uncertainty and change not just nationally but globally. In moments like these setting a strategic direction is more important than ever.

But challenge brings opportunity. It invites us to act boldly. To think differently. To focus on what matters most. And to harness everything we do, our expertise, our research, our innovation, and our compassion for the babies, children, and young people who rely on us for their care.

This strategy relies on the dedication of our colleagues, the trust and partnership of families, and the wider system connections that allow specialist care to reach every child. It guides how we shape our work, translate discovery into treatment, and deliver holistic care. It protects what only GOSH can do whilst creating space for what is possible.

We know care at GOSH does not begin or end at the hospital door. True impact comes when specialist care flows seamlessly across services, across time, and across the wider system. Babies, children, and young people with rare and complex conditions need care that is joined up, sustained, and system enabled.

This is an ambitious but necessary strategy. It will shape care in hospital and beyond, turn discovery into treatment, embrace innovation, and support the whole child, young person, and family.

We cannot stand still. To safeguard what matters we must adapt, evolve, and work together. This strategy channels our ambition, amplifies our impact, and turns insight into action that transforms lives.

Together we power care for today, this generation, and the next.

Together we advance care for children and young people with rare and complex conditions, so they can fulfil their potential.

This purpose guides everything we do. It is the reason we are here, shaping how we care, collaborate, innovate, and support children, families and staff every day.

We begin with “Together we” because care at GOSH is never the work of one but of many. It is the shared skill of teams, the trust of families, and the support of partners. Together speaks to our spirit of collaboration, and ensures the purpose belong to us all. However medicine advances, our care will always be a collective act.

Strategic Context

The NHS is changing. The 10-Year Plan sets three major shifts: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. It also asks us to be innovative, adopting new models of care and harnessing technology to improve care and outcomes.

At the same time, science and technology are advancing rapidly. Genomics, robotics, digital tools, data science and artificial intelligence are redefining what is possible. New treatments and devices are enabling survival into adulthood for children who would not have lived a generation ago.

Our role is to ensure that the care given to babies, children and young people with rare and complex conditions is transformed by these advances. They rely on us for their care, and it is our responsibility to make sure that advances in science, technology and practice reach them quickly and safely.

What We Heard

• National Guidance: The NHS 10-Year Plan asks us to support the shift left, providing specialist care earlier and closer to home, and to lead in digital innovation.
• Families: Care can feel fragmented, inconsistent and overwhelming, especially across age, stage and place.
• Staff: They are proud of the care they provide but said ways of working could be simpler, and processes smoother, so they can focus on children and families.

Our Response

Our strategy sets a shared direction for GOSH. It focuses on shaping how we work, accelerating discovery into delivery, and embracing holistic care. Each pillar has a big move to change the game, underpinned by three flagship programmes. By working together, we make sure that advances in science, technology and practice reach the children and families who rely on us for their care. This strategy is our roadmap to deliver care that is safer, faster, smarter and more connected - both within GOSH and across the wider system

Why it matters

Brilliant care does not happen by accident. Staff need clear, connected ways of working. Families need care that is seamless and easier to navigate.

We will break down silos, foster collaboration, and explore new models of care across GOSH and the wider system. The way we work internally shapes the care we deliver externally. We will simplify processes, strengthen trust, build inclusive teams, and develop the skills needed to deliver extraordinary care.

By breaking silos and fostering collaboration, we will power better outcomes for children with rare and complex conditions.

Big Move

Together we will build a culture of connection and collaboration to deliver brilliant, safer care in our hospital, in partnership, and out into the world.

Flagship Programmes

• GOSH Works: Inclusive culture, shared values, skills development, and better ways of working for our people and for the children and families in our care
• GOSH Models: Piloting new models of care across GOSH and the wider system
• GOSH ConnectED: Training and education programmes that spread knowledge across GOSH, the NHS, and internationally

Impact

Staff will have the tools, skills, and support to provide the best possible care. Families will experience smoother, safer care. This pillar ensures that internal change fuels external impact for children who rely on us.

Why it matters

Our patients have complex and rare conditions that threaten or limit their lives. We have a duty to discover the cures of tomorrow and develop or fast follow the innovations of others to deliver them to children today.

Big Move

Together we will turn GOSH into the fastest path from discovery to care.

Flagship Programmes

• GOSH Research Accelerator: Building infrastructure and partnerships to speed discoveries
• GOSH Novel: Developing and delivering pioneering therapies and treatments
• GOSH Innovate: Using AI, data, and digital tools to personalise care, improve diagnosis and treatment, and strengthen collaboration
• Impact: Families will have earlier access to life-changing treatments. Staff will see innovation quickly influence practice. More children will benefit sooner because GOSH moves faster than ever from discovery to care.

Why it matters: Children are more than their diagnosis. Care must respond to their physical, mental, social, and developmental needs. Families need clarity, guidance, and support throughout complex care journeys. We will create seamless care across age, stage, and space. This means integrating mental health alongside physical health, supporting transitions, and providing spaces where families can connect and thrive.

Big Move

Together we make care seamless and connect age, stage, and space.

Flagship Programmes

• GOSH Futures: Supporting adolescents with tailored spaces, improved school liaison, and smoother transitions into adulthood
• GOSH House: A home away from home for families, a community hub for connection, support, information, and guidance, designed to make navigation easier
• GOSH GreenCare: Therapeutic gardens, farms, and wellbeing initiatives that place mental health alongside physical health Impact: Families will experience care that flows with their child’s journey. Staff can focus on coordinated, compassionate care. Children with rare and complex conditions will be seen and supported as whole people, every step of the way.

Delivering this strategy depends on all of us.
Every directorate, team, and person has an important role to play. By working together to power care, we advance outcomes for babies, children, and young people with rare and complex conditions.

Share your ideas, feedback, and stories:

Email: goshstrategy@gosh.nhs.uk