NHS Long Term Plan Focus Group Report: Sea Cadets - Doncaster

Sea Cadets is a national youth charity, working with 14,000 young people between 10 and 18 years old across the UK. Doncaster Sea Cadets works in the local community to give young people access to incredible opportunities and skills

What did they do?

The session was planned so that information about the NHS Long Term Plan was shared with Sea Cadets and their parents at least 3 weeks before the session took place. An overview of Healthwatch Doncaster and the NHS Long Term Plan was provided and then a discussion around the three focus areas of the NHS Long Term Plan for South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw took place. There was time at the end of the session for a more free-form discussion about experiences of the NHS and what could be changed and improved.

Conclusion from Sea Cadets

Young People were happy to be involved in the discussions and conversations about the NHS and the NHS Long Term Plan. They recognised that some of the language was complicated and technical but after a chat and discussion they concepts were easier to understand.

Young People recognised the need for mental health support and services in schools and for their peers but did not fully appreciate that mental health needs and support could be for low level conditions – they mainly associated mental health needs with acute mental health presentations.

The final discussion about what was good about the NHS and what they would want to change about the NHS was really interesting – they key themes that were identified by Young People:

  • Clarity of information about process and procedure
  • Unnecessary transfers of care
  • Less waiting times
  • More approachable staff
  • Clearer signs and way-finding around the hospital echo key themes identified by adults and older people in relation to their experiences of the NHS. An improvement to the NHS as a whole and the systems and services within it will enhance and improve the experience for all patients, users and families irrespective of age.

Downloads

If you need this report in a different format, please email [email protected] or call 01302 965450

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