Major milestone as construction completes on The Spark – home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology

Sheffield Children’s has officially taken handover of The Spark, our newest, £24m world-class facility and home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT). It is set to open in October 2026 at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park during our 150^th anniversary year.

The Spark will be the only facility of its kind in the UK dedicated to dedicated to bringing together healthcare, innovation, and technology development to create healthier futures for children and young people. It represents Sheffield Children’s commitment to reimagining how healthcare is designed, delivered and experienced with and for children, young people and families.

The innovative development was delivered in partnership with HBC Construction Limited (HBC) and supported by funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council, and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

As the NHS looks to technology and innovation to shape future healthcare, The Spark will play a unique role in bringing together children and young people, clinicians, researchers, academics and industry partners to deliver outstanding care to over 200 patients a day and create, test and spread child health technologies that improve healthcare for children and young people.

The unique ecosystem at the National Centre for Child Health Technology will see pioneering ideas developed collaboratively and translated into real-world improvements for children, while contributing to investment, education, skills development and wider economic growth across South Yorkshire and beyond.

Ruth Brown, Chief Executive at Sheffield Children’s said: “The completion of Sheffield Children’s newest building, The Spark is an important milestone for children and young people everywhere. As we celebrate 150 years of Sheffield Children’s, we are proud to open a new facility that will transform care today while also becoming the home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology, helping shape the future of children’s healthcare for generations to come.

“The Spark has been shaped through partnership, ambition and a shared belief that every child deserves the very best healthcare. Working with children and young people, clinicians, colleagues who support our services and our construction partner, HBC Construction we have designed and delivered a new space that will help is in our mission to create healthier futures for children and young people.”

Lee Powell, Managing Director at HBC, said: “We are proud to have successfully delivered the National Centre for Child Health Technology. It is a landmark and genuinely transformative project for the UK.

“Contributing to a facility that has the potential to change lives and improve outcomes for children and young people has been a truly rewarding journey for our team.

“We’ve built a strong working relationship with the Trust, founded on ambition, flexibility and close collaboration, and have together delivered the scheme to the exceptionally high standards it merits.”

Over the coming months, Sheffield Children’s teams will continue preparations ready to welcome children, young people, families, colleagues and partners to The Spark later this year.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach this incredible milestone.