The Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH) and Meliora Medical (formerly Return2Play) have partnered to launch the Centre for Youth Sports Medicine – a pioneering centre dedicated to adolescent sports medicine.
ISEH, part of HCA Healthcare UK, is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in sports and exercise medicine (SEM). It delivers world-class care to elite adult and adolescent athletes, and active individuals, supported by cutting-edge research and education programmes that promote injury prevention, treatment, and long-term health through physical activity.
Meliora Medical provides expert general and sports medicine services to over 140 private schools across the UK, with a network of clinicians caring for more than 125,000 children. Their mission is to ensure that young people in schools, sports clubs, and universities receive the highest standards of care.
Together, ISEH and Meliora Medical have created the Centre for Youth Sports Medicine to deliver exemplary holistic care for adolescent athletes, while driving innovation through collaborative research and education. Core service lines will include: Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Gynaecology, Nutrition, and Psychology.
The partnership has established seamless pathways that mean, for the first time, adolescent patients can be taken from point of injury and early assessment in the community, through to specialist care with ISEH and HCA UK clinicians, imaging and diagnostics, and back to rehabilitation delivered in the community under one collaborative team. A consortium of 50 consultant physicians and surgeons with recognised expertise in adolescent (sports) medicine has been convened. The Centre will also collaborate with UCL and ISEH partner institutions to answer hypothesis-driven research questions that enhance the health and performance outcomes for adolescent athletes.
The Centre is set to launch in Autumn Term 2025, with the clear ambition of becoming the UK’s premier facility for adolescent sports medicine.
Professor Mathew Wilson (Head of Sports Medicine at ISEH), “Children are not adults. Injury and illness prevention and management in this population is complex due to growth and maturation, sleep and nutrition, and the pressures of education and life. By establishing the Centre for Youth Sports Medicine, ISEH and Meliora have united the UK’s foremost experts in adolescent sports medicine. Together, we will bridge the gap between primary and secondary care, ensuring that young athletes receive timely, specialist support that’s tailored to their developmental needs.”
Professor Fares Haddad (Clinical Director at ISEH), “This initiative marks a significant step forward in adolescent healthcare. At ISEH, we have long recognised the need for specialised, evidence-based care for young athletes. The Centre for Youth Sports Medicine will not only deliver that care, but also drive research that reshapes how we understand and treat youth sports injuries and conditions.”
Dr Sam Barke (Head of Sports Medicine at Meliora Medical), “By integrating the expertise of our primary care sports medicine teams with ISEH and HCA UK’s secondary-care specialists, the Centre for Youth Sports Medicine will not only provide rapid access to expert assessment and treatment but also provide clarity and reassurance for patients, parents, and schools during what is often a worrying time for them. We are excited to set a new benchmark for how young athletes are supported throughout their return-to-sport journey”
Harry Black (CEO at Meliora Medical), “We’re proud to partner with ISEH and HCA UK on this transformative project. The Centre for Youth Sports Medicine represents a major step forward in meeting the specialised needs of young athletes. By combining Meliora’s deep sector insight and national reach with ISEH and HCA UK’s world-class clinical expertise, we’re setting a new benchmark for adolescent sports medicine in the UK – one that will deliver lasting impact for young people and their families.”
