About Birmingham Children’s Hospital

Birmingham Children’s Hospital is one of the United Kingdom’s leading paediatric hospitals, providing expert care to babies, children, and young people from across Birmingham, the West Midlands, and the wider UK.

Located in the centre of Birmingham, the hospital has a long and proud history of delivering specialist healthcare services and is recognised internationally for its excellence in children’s medicine, surgery, research, and innovation.

Every year, the hospital cares for more than 100,000 children and young people, many of whom require highly specialised treatment that is unavailable elsewhere.

 For countless families, Birmingham Children’s Hospital provides hope, reassurance, and life-saving treatment during some of the most challenging times of their lives.

A History of Caring

The hospital’s roots stretch back to 1862 when it was founded as Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Workhouse Infirmary. Over more than 160 years, it has grown from a small local institution into one of Europe’s most respected specialist children’s hospitals.

Today, it forms part of the wider Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, combining expertise, innovation, and compassionate care to support children and families from across the country.

Specialist Services

Birmingham Children’s Hospital provides an extensive range of specialist services, many of which serve not only the West Midlands but the entire United Kingdom.

Cardiology and Heart Surgery

The hospital is home to one of the UK’s leading paediatric cardiac centres.

Specialist teams diagnose and treat congenital heart defects, perform complex heart surgeries, and provide lifelong support for children living with heart conditions.

Many babies born with life-threatening heart abnormalities receive life-saving treatment here.

Cancer and Oncology Services

The hospital treats children and young people with a wide range of cancers, including:

• Leukaemia
• Lymphoma
• Brain tumours
• Bone cancers
• Rare childhood cancers

Highly specialised oncology teams provide cutting-edge treatments alongside emotional and psychological support for patients and families.

Intensive Care and Neonatal Services

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) provides critical care for some of the sickest children in the country.

These specialist teams care for children requiring:

• Ventilation support
• Emergency surgery recovery
• Complex medical intervention
• Organ support systems

The unit operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Neurosciences

The hospital is recognised as a centre of excellence for:

• Epilepsy treatment
• Brain surgery
• Spinal surgery
• Neurological disorders
• Neuro-rehabilitation

Its specialist neurosurgical teams treat children with some of the most complex neurological conditions in the UK.

Organ Transplant Services

Birmingham Children’s Hospital performs life-changing and life-saving organ transplants, including:

• Liver transplants
• Kidney transplants
• Multi-organ procedures

These highly specialised services offer children the opportunity to live healthier and longer lives.

Mental Health Services

The hospital is also home to one of the largest child and adolescent mental health services in the country.

Mental health teams support young people experiencing:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Trauma
• Self-harm
• Complex psychological conditions

This work is becoming increasingly important as demand for mental health support continues to grow.

Research and Innovation

Birmingham Children’s Hospital is at the forefront of medical research.

Its clinicians and researchers work to develop:

• New treatments
• Advanced surgical techniques
• Innovative therapies
• Improved patient care

Research carried out at the hospital helps improve outcomes not only for patients in Birmingham but for children across the world.

Many breakthroughs in paediatric medicine have been supported through charitable funding and donations.

Supporting Families

When a child becomes seriously ill, the impact extends far beyond the patient.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital recognises that families need support too.

Services include:

🏠 Family accommodation

🤝 Emotional support

💬 Counselling services

🎨 Play therapy

📚 Education support

🍽 Family welfare assistance

These services help families stay together during difficult periods and provide comfort when it is needed most.

The Role of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity

While NHS funding covers the hospital’s essential medical services, charitable donations help make extraordinary things possible.

Funds raised through Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity help provide:

• Advanced medical equipment
• Research programmes
• Specialist facilities
• Enhanced patient experiences
• Family support services
• Therapeutic play and wellbeing programmes

Donations also help create welcoming environments designed specifically for children, making hospital stays less frightening and more comfortable.

Why This Matters

Every child deserves the best possible chance in life, regardless of the challenges they face.

Every day, doctors, nurses, surgeons, therapists, support workers, volunteers, and researchers at Birmingham Children’s Hospital work tirelessly to save lives, improve outcomes, and support families through incredibly difficult circumstances.

Their work changes lives.

Their dedication gives hope.

Their expertise saves children.