News 
Young People’s Perspective Adds Direction To NHS
10 March 2009
The successful completion of a two year pilot project involving young people working to inform decisions about health and health services, will be marked by a parliamentary reception on Thursday, March 12.
The Young People’s Health Advisory Group (YPHAG) was established by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) on behalf of NHS Scotland and the Office of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP). The group was set up to enable young people to provide input into health issues, and has acted as a sounding board on health policy development.
Made up of eight young people aged between 14 and 21 years, some of whom have experience of what it is like to be a young person using health services,the group was determined to make the most of the opportunity to influence the development of health services and policy for young people.
YPHAG member, Jennifer Hart, 17 said:
"It has been great to be part of a group that is involved in policy decisions that affect the health of young people. I feel that our views are valued and taken into consideration and we have been able to improve and change the health service for the better and for the good of other children and young people."
YPHAG was set up following a recommendation in ‘Delivering a Healthy Future: An Action Framework for Children and Young People’s Health in Scotland’. NES contributed its NHS experience, while SCCYP brought its experience of getting young people involved and their voices heard.
Kathleen Marshall, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People said:
“This group has at its core the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular Article 12 which states that young people should be allowed to give their views, and that these should be listened to and taken seriously.
”We were determined that this group would not simply be an advisory group that would be presented with final ideas generated by adults, but that they should truly influence policy and projects that will make a difference to young people.”
Since being set up, the YPHAG has looked at how to increase the availability and quality of age-appropriate services ; considered how to improve communication between health professionals and young people and worked on ways to improve awareness of mental health and wellbeing among young people.
The group has also advised NHS Lothian in setting up a young peoples’ group of its own to inform the development of the new children’s hospital as well as created an information guide to current NHS policies that affect children and young people in Scotland. Funded by The Scottish Government, this guide will now be distributed to all secondary schools, health centres and hospitals across Scotland.
Mary Boyle, Programme Director at NES said:
“By far the most successful engagement project I have been involved in. We, in the NHS, are now moving from consultation with children and young people to real participation in the business of NHS Scotland”.
Ends
Media contact: Barbara Fraser at Pagoda PR. Tel: 0131 556 0770, email:barbarafraser@pagodapr.com
