UK-wide excellence in paediatrics

Through the Paediatric Excellence Initiative (PEI), the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is extending its impact beyond a single organisation - building a connected, collaborative system to accelerate paediatric research across the UK.

The future of paediatric research depends not only on individual excellence, but on collaboration at scale. Working across partner sites in Birmingham, Sheffield and Alder Hey, the PEI is creating a shared infrastructure for developing researchers, enabling talent, ideas and best practice to flow across institutions.

Its impact is already significant.

PEI partners have:

• Leveraged over £1.3 million in external funding
• Established Junior Faculty networks modelled on that of the NIHR GOSH BRC
• Contributed to national events and training programmes
• Collaborated on research projects and capacity-building initiatives

Professor Sir Terrence Stephenson, co-lead of the Career Development Academy said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved through the Paediatric Excellence Initiative (PEI). The funding from the NIHR BRC at GOSH is crucial, but the support and belief from the leadership is truly what drives transformation in this space.

“As a community, we must put aside self-interest or territorialism to drive forward advances in child health, build peer networks and ensure strong leadership for the future. This is what the PEI is achieving.”

Critically, the initiative supports shared learning. Programmes developed at GOSH, such as training models, fellowships and events, are adapted and adopted by partner sites, accelerating progress across the system.

Early career researchers benefit directly from this model, gaining:

• Access to wider networks and expertise
• Opportunities to collaborate nationally
• Greater visibility and support for career progression

Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, co-lead of the Career Development Academy said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved through the Paediatric Excellence Initiative (PEI). The funding from the NIHR BRC at GOSH is crucial, but the support and belief from the leadership is truly what drives transformation in this space.

“As a community, we must put aside self-interest or territorialism to drive forward advances in child health, build peer networks and ensure strong leadership for the future. This is what the PEI is achieving.”