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British Paediatric Surveillance Unit

The BPSU is a world leading centre for rare paediatric disease surveillance. It enables doctors and researchers to investigate how many children in the UK and Republic of Ireland are affected by particular rare diseases, conditions or treatments each year.

Studies currently on the eReporting card ('orange card')

Congenital and hospitalised neonatal varicella
ROHHAD (Rapid-onset obesity)
Tenfold medication errors
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Five-year report

We present our collective achievements from 2021 to 2025, demonstrating how BPSU is improving research, informing policy and supporting clinical care.
Read our report
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Apply to the BPSU

We welcome applications from clinicians and researchers who wish to carry out national surveillance on rare childhood diseases.
Apply to the BPSU
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Get eReporting cards

If you are a consultant paediatrician or SAS doctor with your own case load working in the UK or Republic of Ireland, and do not already receive the BPSU eReporting cards, please complete our form.
Sign up

Other BPSU content

Past studies
Surveillance of HIV infection and vertical HIV exposure
Patient and public involvement
Research using health records
BPSU privacy notice
Bulletins
Rare disease tea party - reports from past events
Partnership Board
Scientific Committee
BPSU Sir Peter Tizard research bursary
Impact and case studies
Other research activities at RCPCH

Research news from the College

More news
Building Capacity 2 podcast guests on a purple background
Podcast
14 October 2026

Building Capacity 2: Alternative research pathways - podcast

The second episode of our podcast series from the Trainee Research Network, Building Capacity: Past, Present and Future is live. Dr Leila Ellis speaks with paediatricians about unconventional career paths and how varied a career involving research can be.
Speaker headshots on purple background with RCPCH podcast logo
Podcast
7 October 2026

Building Capacity 1: Routes to get involved in research - podcast

Welcome to the first episode of our new podcast series from the Trainee Research Network, Building Capacity: Past, Present and Future. Across three episodes, Dr Leila Ellis speaks with paediatricians about ways to make research more accessible to trainees and highlights opportunities to get involved...
Jennie Ellul and Dr David Ryan
Blog
5 October 2026

An interview with the winners of the PIER Award 2025

The RCPCH-NIHR PIER (Paediatric Involvement and Engagement in Research) is awarded in recognition of significant contributions to excellent patient engagement. We spoke with Dr David Ryan and Jennie Ellul about their winning project, Born in Bradford: Age of Wonder.