Young Listeners Project: How would young people improve the health and care services they use?
Download (PDF 1.04 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Gloucestershire launched a Young Listeners Project in March 2021 with the aim to find out how young people in Gloucestershire feel about local health and care services. The project was designed and led by a group of young volunteers, who engaged with other young people and recorded their views and experiences.
The Young Listeners focused on three key areas: Mental Health, Relationship Support, and GP attitudes, inclusivity and accessibility. Three surveys were designed based on these topics.
By March 2022, the Young Listeners had received 85 responses from young people across Gloucestershire. The feedback was analysed and the following key messages were identified:
• Young people feel they are not always taken seriously and listened to by their GPs.
• There is more focus on critical services being available instead of early intervention.
• Most young people do not know what services they are entitled to or have access to in their area.
• Young people feel that most social care services are only aimed at a ‘younger audience’ (children and young teens), and less at young people who are not in education.
• The transition from childcare services into adult services is bad and lacks clear lines of communication.
• There are few services that help with the emotional and physical transition into adulthood.
• COVID-19 has had a huge impact on young people’s lives, including maintaining and making new relationships and mental health.
• Young people want to be involved in promoting and creating services aimed at people their age.
A number of recommendations were made in the report.