Alder Hey has joined a new international collaboration with other leading paediatric hospitals across the UK and Canada to share expertise and develop artificial intelligence solutions that address some of the biggest challenges facing children’s healthcare.
The partnership brings together six UK NHS organisations with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto through its AI programme, SickKids AI (SKAI). Together, the organisations will collaborate on developing and sharing AI tools that can support clinical teams, improve patient flow and help ensure children receive the right care at the right time.
The collaboration was formally launched during a visit to Toronto from 24–26 February, where senior NHS leaders met with the SKAI team to explore how AI is already being used in clinical practice and how similar approaches could be adapted across the UK. Alder Hey, along with partners from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Children’s Hospital attended.
During the visit, the group signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SickKids to create a formal commitment to work together to share expertise. The agreement will establish sustainable pathways for sharing and adapting AI models across organisations and enable teams to collaborate on shared priorities such as improving paediatric emergency care and addressing system pressures.
Delegates also visited the SickKids Emergency Department to see how AI tools are helping clinicians identify patient needs earlier and support decision-making in a busy and complex environment. The group toured the hospital’s Simulation Centre to explore how simulation can help ensure AI tools are introduced safely and ethically into clinical practice.
At Alder Hey, digital innovation is already a key part of improving care and experience for children and families.
This collaboration is an amazing opportunity for Alder Hey to both contribute to and learn from international leaders in healthcare AI. By working closely with colleagues across the NHS and with the SKAI team at SickKids, we can accelerate how we apply AI to improve patient flow, support our clinical teams and ultimately deliver even better care for children and young people. I’m really excited to see the benefits it will bring in our city and beyond.”
Kate Warriner, Chief Transformation and Digital Officer at Alder Hey
Jeff Mainland, Executive Vice President, SickKids said: “International collaborations like this allow us to accelerate and amplify our efforts in using AI to tackle the greatest challenges in children’s health. The impact of these efforts can be used to improve health outcomes for children right here in Ontario and across the country.”
The collaboration reflects growing international interest in using AI responsibly in healthcare and the value of hospitals working together to solve shared challenges.
Through the partnership, clinicians, leaders and trainees from the UK will also have opportunities to learn alongside SickKids teams and gain hands-on experience with the SKAI service, helping bring new ideas and solutions back to NHS children’s hospitals, including Alder Hey, to benefit patients and families.