Youth Access

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Young people’s views and experiences of using health service and GP complaint systems

21 February, 2012

The Children’s Commissioner for England wants to improve complaints systems for young people using mental health and sexual health services, including services offered by GPs.

She has asked Cernis, a small organisation of researchers and consultants in young people’s health to investigate young people’s experience of complaints systems; why they often don’t complain when they are unhappy with a service and to gather young people’s suggestions for what would improve these complaints systems.

There is an anonymous online consultation for young people that can be accessed at www.puzzledout.com. Young people can type OCC001 into the box for the survey or by clicking on “share your stories”, can tell their story, or upload videos or pictures.

There is also a call for good practice. The Cernis team would like to hear from anyone working with young people using mental health or sexual health services about processes or ways of working that have improved young people’s access to complaints procedures. This could include the provision of advocacy support; training for Primary Care Trust Complaints Managers; sharing information about how to make a formal complaint in “young person friendly” ways.

If you have an example of good practice or ideas of how complaints systems could be improved, please email one of the project leads:

Dr Cathy Street cathy.street1@btinternet.com

Dr Yvonne Anderson Yvonne.anderson@cernis.co.uk

Further information about the project please visit the website or the links below:

Endorsement letter from The Children's Commissioner for England to Youth Access

Guide to Puzzledout.com

Project flyer