Great Ormond Street Hospital and West China Second University Hospital Sign Strategic Agreement to Shape a New Future for Paediatric Care

On July 18, 2025, the 4th West China Maternal and Child Health International Conference grandly opened in Chengdu. The conference, hosted by the Sichuan Association for Improving Childbearing and Childcare and the Hainan Boao Medical Innovation Alliance, and organised by West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University and CNHealthcare, centered on the theme of "Bring Together Global Expertise to Advance Maternal and Child Health."

Thousands of experts and scholars from the United Kingdom, the United States and countries along the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the government of China) gathered to engage in depth academic exchanges on hot topics such as innovations in obstetrics and gynaecology, child development and health awareness, and the critical illness prevention and treatment.

At the opening ceremony, West China Second University Hospital (commonly known as West China Second Hospital) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) and Oxford University’s Churchill Hospital.
Mr Tim Standbrook, Deputy Consul General at the British Consulate‑General in Chongqing, attended the signing ceremony and delivered an opening speech, highly praised the strategic significance of the collaboration. 
Under the agreement, GOSH and West China Second Hospital will deepen cooperation in three key areas:

Talent development: Chinese medical professionals will receive training in the UK, sharing international curricula and enabling cross‑border exchange of expertise.
Remote clinical collaboration: Establishing a teleconsultation platform to support the timely cross-border diagnosis and treatment of complex paediatric cases.
Hospital management: exchange best practices in hospital management and including research and innovation management.  

Mr Simon Blackburn, Co‑Director of Education at GOSH and Consultant Neonatal & Paediatric Surgeon, emphasised:
“West China Second Hospital’s expertise and resources in maternal and child health complement GOSH’s experience in complex paediatric care and the treatment of rare disease. Through deep collaboration we aim not only to enhance clinical and research capabilities on both sides, but also to offer a model of UK–China cooperation that advances global paediatric medicine for the benefit of the children we look after.”

The conference featured 11 sub-forums covering topics from comprehensive gynaecologic oncology care to minimally invasive paediatric surgery. The Paediatric Clinical Summit Forum attracted particular attention, bringing together leading specialists in heart and liver transplantation, urology and other fields to discuss the latest approaches to complex medical cases.
Two leading GOSH experts took part and shared frontier clinical insights and research outcomes:

Mr Simon Blackburn – Co‑Director of Education and Consultant Neonatal & Paediatric Surgeon at GOSH, specialising in paediatric colorectal surgery (including anorectal malformations and Hirschsprung’s disease). With a Master’s in Surgical Education from Imperial College London and fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons, he is dedicated to technology-enhanced learning and global educational platforms.
. His current focus includes technology‑enhanced learning and international teaching platform development.

Dr Juliana Silva – Consultant in Bone Marrow Transplantation and CAR-T Cell Therapy at GOSH, she also leads the UK’s hematopoietic stem cell transplantation program for autoimmune diseases and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. With extensive experience in treating paediatric autoimmune diseases and managing post-transplant complications, she has provided innovative therapies for children with refractory blood and immune disorders.

During the conference, several landmark initiatives were unveiled, including the signing of agreements for the Intelligent Imaging and Biopharmaceutical Innovation Centre, the launch of the “West China Digital Physician Programme", and the debut of the pioneering “3+∞” digital talent development platform for paediatricians.

These initiatives highlight West China Second Hospital’s commitment to advanced technology and talent development, which fuels next-generation maternal and child healthcare paradigms with sustainable innovation.

The visit and collaboration of GOSH experts brought invaluable international perspectives and professional support to these initiatives. Both sides will continue to leverage their respective strengths to jointly drive technological advancements and high‑level talent development—living up to the conference’s mission of “Bring Together Global Expertise to Advance Maternal and Child Health”.

Looking ahead, GOSH and West China Second Hospital will use this strategic agreement as a foundation to further develop online education, short‑term exchanges, and joint research projects, deepening UK–China collaboration in paediatric care and innovation.

Together, they aim to build an open and mutually beneficial global network for maternal and child health, providing safer and more effective care for children, and driving child health services to new heights worldwide.