Latest Healthwatch Dorset report finds young people don't feel listened to

Many felt their needs weren't met

Author: Sophie CridlandPublished 25th Nov 2021

Young people in Dorset want health and social care services to listen more, communicate better and coordinate their care.

A recent Healthwatch Dorset report stats young people are asking the county’s health and social care service to improve how they support and care for them.

70 told Healthwatch Dorset's Young Listeners about their experiences of using health and social care services. They talked about the barriers and challenges they face when seeking support, and the changes they want to see to make services work better for young people.

Key themes were identified, and, in response, the Young Listeners have made recommendations for how Dorset's health and care services can develop to address young people's needs and concerns. They have presented their findings and recommendations to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, Dorset Council and Children's Services, and Dorset's Clinical Commissioning Group.

Key Findings

95% of young people spoken to felt that communication between services needed to be improved, and the lack of communication and co-ordination was felt to hinder their progress.

51% had experience of services communicating with their school, but 70% of those did not find it helpful because communication was poor, or there was little notice or action taken.

Too much unnecessary repetition: 92% of young people said they had to repeat their background story to different services, and this made them feel frustrated, and for some it caused anxiety and upset.

A young carer said, "This (repetition) is an uncomfortable experience as I realise that people can’t relate to my story, and I find it hard to repeat what is happening at home." | Quote from a young carer

A young person expressed, "My needs weren't considered at all. I didn't feel listened to."

Poorly planned transition between children and adult services: All but one of the young people who had moved from children to adult services rated their experience very low. They described it as poorly planned, uncoordinated and disjointed. Poor transition in social care, rather than health care, was a recurring theme. Young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and/or their parents/carers commented on their poor experience of transitioning to adult services.

Another young person said, "It was like falling off a cliff. Everyone you are dealing with suddenly changes but your needs haven't. You have to have a lot of extra assessments just to keep the things you are already relying on."

Less time waiting for care, more time for appointments: It was felt that long waiting times deter young people from seeking care and support. When they see a health professional, they would like more time with them.

"I can access support, but the waiting lists are huge so it's off putting, pointless and frustrating."

Recommendations for change and improvement

  • Improve communication and collaboration between services to avoid needless repetition.
  • Make sure services and schools follow up on promises and actions that have been discussed.
  • Provide more useful information about health and social care issues and the services and support available for young people, and promote this more widely, including in schools.
  • Communicate better with young people, including using clear and appropriate language when talking or providing information.
  • Listen to young people, don't ignore or dismiss them.
  • Personalise services by focusing on the individual - speak to the young person rather than their parent, recognise diversity of need and the barriers that young people face when accessing care.
  • Train health and care staff and teachers to help them understand, empathise, and communicate better with young people, including those with diverse needs such autism and young carers.
  • Make more funding available so that services can expand, reduce waiting times, and give longer appointments.

In the report, the Young Listeners suggest some simple and practical actions to help services achieve these improvements.

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