Shaping the future of paediatric care at the Great North Children’s Hospital
The third in our NHC Presents series focussed on the Great North Children’s Hospital.
Hosted by Newcastle Hospitals Charity, and chaired by Dr Mike McKean, paediatric respiratory physician at the Great North Children’s Hospital, the panel event celebrated some of the innovative charity-funded projects aimed at improving the health of children and young people across the region and beyond.
Event video
Panel speakers
Dr Anna Basu – clinical senior lecturer and honorary consultant paediatric neurologist, Great North Children’s Hospital
Simon Bromhead – head of development, Ways to Wellness
Dr Emily Parker – paediatric resident doctor, Great North Children’s Hospital
Dr Neil Davidson – general paediatrician, Great North Children’s Hospital
Jo Ball – Great North Youth Collective Engagement Coordinator
Chair: Dr Mike McKean – consultant in respiratory paediatrics, Great North Children’s Hospital
Biographies
Dr Mike McKean
I have worked as a paediatrician specialising in respiratory disorders at the Great North Children’s Hospital, in Newcastle upon Tyne in for 22 years. I specialise in asthma, long term ventilation and children with congenital airway and lung anomalies. I have led the GNCH as Clinical Director, establish and continue as an active board member of the North East and North Cumbrian Child Health and Wellbeing Network, and have been a clinical advisor for NHS England Northeast and Yorkshire. My recent work has opened my mind to gaining a better understanding of the wider determinants of health and especially, how early adverse events and circumstances in childhood can have long lasting negative consequences.
In 2022 I was honoured to be elected as Vice President for Policy at the RCPCH. I had the great privilege of establishing the Great North Children’s Hospital Foundation in 2016 and continue to co-chair this to this day. I have seen so many worthy projects supported across the whole breadth of the GNCH and also out within our community settings. The GNCH Foundation has grown to become one of the key foundation pillars of our fantastic hospital.
Dr Anna Basu
Dr Anna Basu is a clinical senior lecturer at Newcastle University and honorary consultant child neurologist at the Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. She has a PHD from Newcastle University, has held two NIHR (clinical trials and career development) fellowships and has undertaken research around assessments and interventions in cerebral palsy.
More recently she has worked more broadly on how to support children with complex needs including neurodisability, and their families, in a holistic way. Dr Basu is a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH) and the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Simon Bomhead
Simon has a background in project development, fundraising and partnership development. He is a certified member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and has a degree in Law and Sociology. Before joining Ways to Wellness, Simon was Head of Development at national charity Living Streets, and has had roles in a wide range of voluntary sector organisations, from visitor attractions to environmental charities. Simon was Vice Chair of Newcastle Carers until 2023.
He is passionate about creating projects that impact people’s lives, particularly those in greatest need, and sees effective partnerships as the best way to achieve this goal.
Dr Emily Parker
Emily is a paediatric resident doctor with an interest in climate change and planetary health. In 2022-3 she undertook a Clinical Sustainability Fellowship at the Great North Children’s Hospital, supported by funding from the Newcastle Hospitals Charity.
During her fellowship she engaged 100 children, young people and staff in designing a new hospital children’s garden, undertook original research into the carbon footprint of capsule versus liquid medicines, and delivered sustainability education to over 260 people. She is now working as a Clinical Fellow at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Dr Neil Davidson
Dr Neil Davidson is a General Paediatrician at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne. He is the Medical Lead of the GNCH Paediatric Fatigue Service and the regional Intestinal Failure (Home Parenteral Nutrition) Service. He has interests in adolescent healthcare, complex patient management and patient participation. He has been the Medical Lead of the Young Person’s Advisory Group North England (YPAGne) and the Great North Youth Forum since their inception.
Through these groups he has ensured that the voice of children and young people has been embedded in hundreds of research and quality improvement projects and service design and delivery for young people in their hospitals. He has a broad experience of over 20 years of youth work and was an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow with the Human Computer Interaction team at Open Lab from 2014-17. YPAGne celebrates its 10th anniversary later this year and is an award-winning group which continues to impact on local and international research.
Jo Ball
With over eight years of experience in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) work, Jo has a passion for fostering meaningful collaborations between healthcare providers and young people.
Jo has been instrumental in enhancing public engagement initiatives and her dedication to providing young people with skills and opportunities to enhance their future is evident through her innovative approaches and commitment to making a positive impact within health and research.
