Sheffield Children’s welcomes first patients to The Spark

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has officially welcome patients into The Spark, a £24 million world-class facility and home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) that will transform how healthcare is designed, delivered and experienced for children and young people.

Located at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, The Spark is the only facility of its kind in the UK dedicated to bringing together healthcare, innovation and technology development to create healthier futures for children and young people.

Opening during Sheffield Children’s 150th anniversary year, the state-of-the-art centre represents a major investment in the future of children’s healthcare. The facility supports more than 200 patients each day while creating an environment where children and young people, clinicians, researchers, academics and industry partners can work together to develop, test and spread pioneering child health technologies.

Day one saw patients from across South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in speciality clinics including allergy, sleep, physiotherapy and more. First patient Jack and his mum Purdy were delighted with the new space and commented on how calm and welcoming The Spark is, with plenty of space for play whilst waiting for their appointment. Violet, who has been to appointments across all of Sheffield Children’s sites, said it was her favourite yet.

The Spark has been designed to support both outstanding clinical care and innovation, creating a unique ecosystem where new ideas can be rapidly translated into real-world improvements for children and young people. As the NHS increasingly embraces technology and innovation to meet future healthcare needs, the centre will play a leading role in developing solutions that improve health outcomes while contributing to investment, education, skills development and economic growth across South Yorkshire and beyond.

For 11-year-old Peter who is attending his first appointment at The Spark this week, technology is already transforming the way he manages his diabetes every day. Peter uses hybrid closed loop therapy technology to help manage his condition, alongside the DigiBete app.

The founder of DigiBete took part in the KidsUP™ Accelerator in 2025 at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy as the National Centre for Child Health Technology developed. The Accelerator brought together healthtech starts-ups from across the UK and Europe to tackle some of the biggest health challenges faced by children and young people.

This collaboration represents the work that will continue through the National Centre of Child Health Technology (NCCHT), providing opportunities for children and young people to shape technology with industry leaders which would otherwise not be possible, leading to better healthcare results for young people.

The Spark, home to the National Centre for Child Health Technology, was delivered in partnership with HBC Construction Limited and supported by funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

The completion of The Spark strengthens Sheffield’s position as a national leader in healthcare innovation and reinforces Sheffield Children’s commitment to working alongside children, young people and families to reimagine the future of healthcare.

Check out our Instagram post from the first day!

 

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