Playin' It Safe

Three stars awarded to GP surgeries by young people in Bromsgrove

May 2009

Two GP surgeries in Bromsgrove are celebrating achieving three-star accreditation for delivering high quality 'Young Person Friendly' (YPF) health services. Churchfields GP Surgery and St John's Surgery were visited by mystery shoppers aged 15-17 years old to evaluate how well the services meet the needs of local young people.

The YPF project aims to encourage GP surgeries to achieve 10 standards set by local young people themselves around the healthcare service they receive. A maximum of five-star accreditation is available for health services that meet all 10 criteria. Both Churchfields and St John’s surgeries met six of the 10 standards set by young people and are now working towards achieving the maximum five-star YPF rating.

In order to become 'young person friendly' all staff at the surgeries, including GPs, practice nurses and receptionists, had to meet standards that included: ensuring that the young person is made aware of confidentiality statement at reception; producing young person friendly materials such as leaflets and posters containing information around sexual health; offering a range of contraception along with the correct information and advice; and offering a warm and welcoming environment in which young people feel able to talk.

Toni Iddles, a young mystery shopper said the project was important "so young people felt comfortable at their surgeries" and that she "would like to see more surgeries participate in the project."

Andrea Gould, Nurse Practitioner at St John's Surgery, said: "It is important to make healthcare services more approachable for young people. Being young person friendly has always been very important to us and since joining the YPF project we have put more literature for young people around the surgery. We will be taking forward suggestions made by local young people to improve even more."

Positive comments about the two surgeries included good displays for young people at St John's surgery and the staff friendliness at Churchfields.

Holly Wheeler, Worcestershire Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Worker, said: "The young people from Bromsgrove and Rubery who have led this project, putting their own ideas and recommendations into practice, are to be congratulated on their hard work in supporting local health services to meet the needs of all young people in Worcestershire."

"Through this project we hope that more young people will be able stay healthy, access contraception to prevent unplanned teenage pregnancies and protect against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and be able to make positive informed decisions."

The YPF project is led by Toni Iddles, Stephen Edgar, Paige Moorhouse & David Cragg. It is funded by the Worcestershire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership.