A groundbreaking children’s hospital set to open in Cambridge will become the first in Europe, and one of the first globally, to fully integrate care for both physical and mental health conditions. The innovative model aims to tackle stigma, streamline diagnoses, and provide a more holistic approach to child healthcare.
Recent research from paediatric experts reveals that nearly one in four children in the UK suffers from a long-term physical health condition. Furthermore, these children are four times more likely to experience mental health issues compared to their peers. Despite this, many young patients are still required to navigate multiple healthcare facilities, often resulting in unnecessary stress and disruption during already vulnerable times.
Rob Heuschkel, the clinical lead for physical health at the planned Cambridge Children’s Hospital, explained that the facility’s model would be a first of its kind in Europe. Heuschkel highlighted the unique approach, emphasizing that the hospital is designed not only to treat physical health conditions but also to accommodate children with mental health challenges. “We’ve set out to design the hospital physically to accommodate both physical and mental health conditions, and develop a clinical care model that treats the child as a whole,” Heuschkel said.
Currently, many hospitals offer mental health support, but the Cambridge Children’s Hospital will go a step further. Heuschkel noted that this integrated model will allow for a seamless collaboration between departments. “Instead of sending an extremely malnourished child with an eating disorder to a physical health unit by ambulance, staff will be able to support each other and their patients in a much more cohesive and integrated manner.”
The hospital, expected to be completed by 2029, is the result of a partnership between two NHS trusts: the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, specializing in physical healthcare, and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, which will provide expertise in mental health. Additionally, the University of Cambridge will establish a research institute at the hospital to further advance paediatric healthcare.
Construction is slated to begin in 2027. Heuschkel provided an example of how this integrated approach would work in practice: a child presenting with stomach pain might be referred to a psychologist instead of immediately undergoing an endoscopy, a common practice in traditional medical models. This approach aims to address underlying mental health factors before proceeding with more invasive treatments.
By combining physical and mental health services under one roof, the Cambridge Children’s Hospital hopes to lead a new wave of integrated care models that prioritize the well-being of children as a whole.
