More than 200 children joined researchers, clinicians and parents at Chelsea Football Club to help shape the future of child health research and NHS services.
The event, held at Stamford Bridge in West London, brought together children and young people from across North West London to discuss research priorities and share their views on healthcare.
It was organised by Imperial College London’s Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health and Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing, West London Children’s Healthcare and the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.
Children from local schools met scientists and healthcare professionals to learn about research into common childhood conditions, including asthma, allergies and infectious diseases.
The event also included discussions on the science and benefits of breastfeeding for child health.
Researchers took part in “research cafés”, facilitated by the Patient Experience Research Centre, where young people and members of the public were able to have informal conversations about health research and NHS care.
School groups also entered a competition to develop new ideas to improve children’s health and wellbeing.
Proposals included ways to help children get more sleep, become more physically active and reduce stress. A team from Uxendon Manor Primary School won the competition with a pitch focused on improving mental health.
Professor Sejal Saglani, director of Imperial’s Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “We don’t want to just do research to children; we want to do research with children and their families.
“It’s important to make our health research relevant to patients and the only way to do that is by working really closely with our NHS partners.
“Everything we do is in unison to improve the health and wellbeing of children.”
West London Children’s Healthcare brings together services for children and young people at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The partnership aims to improve quality, experience and outcomes across child health services.
Nicola Grinstead, managing director for West London Children’s Healthcare, said: “It really matters to us to hear directly from children and young people about what’s important to them: whether that’s how hospital services are shaped; what research questions we should be prioritising; or how they want to be directly involved in shaping the future.
“That was the purpose of this event.”
Professor Aubrey Cunnington, lead for paediatrics within the NIHR Imperial BRC, said the event showed the importance of involving children, young people and parents in research.
He said: “This ensures that our research is serving the needs of our local communities and make our research better and more impactful.”
The Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing, based in Imperial’s School of Public Health, studies the environmental, behavioural, genetic and molecular factors that affect children’s physical and mental health, as well as health inequalities.
Professor Dougal Hargreaves, from the Mohn Centre, said: “This was such an inspiring and enjoyable event which will inform our future research into a wide range of physical and mental health issues affecting children and young people.
“I particularly want to thank all the school pupils, our Young Community Research Champions and members of our Young People’s Advisory Group who helped make the day such a success.”
The event concluded with a panel discussion and Q&A on research priorities to improve child health in West London and beyond.
Ben Coleman, MP for Chelsea and Fulham, who joined the panel alongside researchers, doctors and community members, said: “To understand and help people, and do real research, you need to go out and talk to them.
“The more the NHS and researchers can work together, the better and healthier we can make the country. I hugely congratulate Imperial and West London Children’s Healthcare for trying to crack this.”
The event was supported by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, a translational research partnership between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London, and by the Chelsea Foundation.