Sophia Varadkar appointed as Chief Medical Officer

Sophia, who has been Acting CMO for the last year, was appointed this week following a competitive recruitment process.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, where she completed her undergraduate training, Sophia joined GOSH in 2001 as a resident doctor, completed her PhD at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and is a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist.

She has had a number of leadership roles with us as Specialty Lead for the Epilepsy Unit and Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Service (CESS), Interim Divisional Director and Chief of Service. Sophia was Deputy Medical Director from January 2020 and Co-Medical Director for the North Thames Genomic Medicine Service from August 2023 until taking up her post as Acting CMO in March 2025. She is also an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.

Sophia said: “GOSH has been my professional home for over two decades and it is a privilege to continue my career here. Every colleague I work alongside does their very best to deliver outstanding, innovative care to children and families, and I am delighted to continue this work together.”

Sophia takes up her role with immediate effect.