https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/our-research/taking-part-research/

Information for patients and the public

Patient Alyssa meeting her research team in the ZCR

We know that patients at hospitals that are learning and making improvements through research and innovation do better - they have more confidence in their care, they feel more informed and they have better clinical outcomes.

At GOSH we connect healthcare professionals, scientists, researchers and innovators with patients, their families and the public to improve the lives of children with rare and complex diseases.

How you can get involved

There are a variety of ways to become part of research and innovation at GOSH - this can range from patients signing up to the GOSH Sample Bank, taking part in clinical trials, answering questions about how you feel about new technologies or advising on research studies!

Although we do not have a database of all the research studies currently running at GOSH, you can search for ongoing clinical trials for specific conditions through the "Be Part of Research" website or ClinicalTrials.gov

  • A cartoon of a patient in a hospital bed, attached to an IV, scrolling on her phone. The text next to the cartoon reads "I use apps like MyGOSH to manage my healthcare in a quick and easy way".
  • A cartoon showing a staff member in a wheelchair filling out a form, sat around a table with a mother and her child on her lap. The text next to the cartoon reads "I filled in a survey about how I feel about doctors using artificial intelligence as part of my child's care"
  • A cartoon of a patient in a full wheelchair, being pushed by their parent. Both are being greeted at a reception desk by two members of staff. The text next to the cartoon reads "My child is taking part in a gene therapy clinical trial to find new treatments for children all around the world."
  • A cartoon of a young patient in a hospital bed connected to an IV and with a feeding tube. Two staff members stand either side of the bed to take observations. The text below the cartoon reads "I signed up to Sample Bank so GOSH can use any of my leftover samples for research if they're needed."
  • A cartoon of a male staff member sat at a table with two young children. One of the children is playing with building blocks, the second child is filling in a form and wearing ear defenders. The text next to the cartoon reads "My brother is a patient at GOSH so I help to review patient information sheets for new studies."
  • A cartoon of a child with a prosthetic leg wearing a virtual reality headset. They are joined by a staff member, also wearing a virtual reality headset. They are surrounded by anatomical images including: lungs, a heart, a femur bone, a red blood cell, an ear and eye. The text below the cartoon reads "Before I have surgery, my clinical team could show me what would happen using virtual reality."
  • A cartoon of a patient wearing a hearing aid talking to a staff member. The staff member is joined by a guide dog and is using a cane. They are both stood in front of six screens that show six staff members. The text above the cartoon reads "As a GOSH patient I've helped clinical teams to create engaging videos about different health conditions". The text below the cartoon reads "My clinical team helped me to add my DNA sequence to a project that looks for patterns in rare diseases. It could help me - or people like me - get a better diagnosis"
  • A cartoon of a staff member showing samples on a computer to a mother and her child. The text next to the cartoon reads "Teams at GOSH are working to make sure my samples can be viewed securely and electronically by all my clinical teams."

If you are a parent of a child receiving care at GOSH, or you are a patient yourself, and you are interested in finding out more please speak to your clinical team about how you can get involved.

Recent research and innovation news from GOSH