Innovation for Paediatric Palliative Care on Display at GOSH
The Global Treehouse team, including staff and members of our Board of Trustees, recently had the profound opportunity to visit Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), one of the United Kingdom’s leading children’s hospitals and part of the National Health Services (NHS). This visit deepened our collective understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by seriously ill children and their families, and we explored innovative ways systems can effectively serve them.
We were privileged to be hosted by Dr. Renée McCulloch, a distinguished Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine and the Deputy Medical Director at GOSH. Our leadership team, including Laura Dale-Harris, Laura McSorley, Gianluca Fontana, Maurizio Petta, Jonty Roland and Rebecca Eastmond, gained invaluable insights during this visit.
A core takeaway from our conversations was that "change moves at the speed of trust". We heard from clinicians about the importance of honest interactions among different clinical roles in best serving patients, as well as the importance of meeting families where they are during challenging periods. Across GOSH, we saw evidence that families benefited from trust-building supports, such as access to multifaith and chaplaincy services and facilities designed with their needs in mind, including access to kitchens. Paediatric cardiac intensivist and lead for the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Aparna Hoskote emphasised the intentionality behind supporting families both through systemic support and as individuals.
We also explored the transformative role of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in accelerating care and empowering families. Dr. McCulloch shared her ongoing efforts to apply technology to improve autonomy for families and system-level care delivery – a mission closely aligned with Global Treehouse’s commitment to identify, support and scale innovations to improve the lives of children with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses. At GOSH, we heard many ways that such technology was improving children's lives. For instance, remote access to specialists can provide families with just-in-time guidance wherever they are. Improved access to patient and parent-controlled pain pumps means children experience less pain, greater freedom and more comfort at home.
The visit further underscored that collaboration across diverse specialities is critical within the paediatric palliative care field. This sector inherently sits at the intersection of different fields, specialities and understanding to serve children and families. A compelling example discussed was the vital role of pharmacists, as exemplified by Mr. Bhumik Patel, Specialist Pharmacist and global expert in paediatric palliative care pharmacology. Our discussion highlighted the importance of access to drugs through national policies and supplies, as well as the practical distribution of necessary medicines when families need them (at night, on weekends or in rural areas) and explored ways to overcome these challenges.
Finally, we also met with Professor Andrew Taylor and colleagues at the GOSH Data, Research, Innovation and Virtual Environment (DRIVE) team, where we heard about how strategic data and intentional innovation are improving outcomes for children. They are leading through collaboration on ambient voice AI, which enables clinicians to focus entirely on families by automating clinic notes and follow-up letters. DRIVE is GOSH’s dedicated innovation hub, committed to testing and scaling cutting-edge technologies that enhance both patient experience and clinical outcomes.
As we work towards our vision of ensuring every child receives the palliative care support they need to live life to the fullest, our time at GOSH affirmed what is possible. Their model demonstrates how trust, technology and interdisciplinary collaboration can come together to deliver world-class, human-centred care. We remain dedicated to catalysing change, scaling investments and building a supportive community to advance paediatric palliative care globally.