International Youth Day, celebrated annually on 12 August, is a global celebration of the contributions, aspirations, and potential of young people around the world. It is a day of significance at The Diana Award, and to celebrate this year, we asked two young people from across our programmes to talk about a topic close to their hearts. This article, written by Iola Nkau, Co-producer on The Diana Award Young Changemakers Programme, highlights the difficulty young people have in finding and accessing GP services. The second article, written by Centre for Social Action Co-Designer, Obinna Emmanuel Ezeani, highlights the need for youth inclusion and diverse representation in decision-making processes.
For young people in the UK, it can be difficult trying to access general practice (GP) services. These difficulties are formed by a combination of systemic issues, practical barriers, and socioeconomic factors. GP services are a crucial part of our healthcare system, offering primary care services that cover a range of health issues. They are often the first healthcare professionals to identify and treat health problems, making them essential for early intervention.
Barriers to Accessing Healthcare Services for Disadvantaged Young People
Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds often face barriers to accessing GPs and broader healthcare services that are effective and on time. Only 35% of young people from the most deprived areas reported that they had a ‘very good’ experience with their GP (1). This has a dramatic effect on their medical support. Delays in diagnosis, unidentified and untreated conditions, as well as young people missing out on essential services like mental health support are becoming more commonplace. These gaps in the provision of care for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can have long-term consequences to their health and development, especially compared to their counterparts in more affluent areas. The most deprived areas of England have far fewer GPs per head than richer areas, placing a further barrier to access for young people in these areas (2).
Administrative Difficulties in Accessing Healthcare services
As a young person, I find it increasingly difficult to navigate the complex administrative processes and bureaucratic hurdles within the healthcare system. This issue is not limited to young people but is compounded for young people who don’t have an adult who can support them, for instance, if their parents aren’t fluent in English.
Making a simple call for a GP appointment can be difficult. For example, at my local practice, you have to call up at 8am to get an appointment. Until recently, at 8am I was on the bus on the way to school. Even if it was quiet, I wouldn’t be comfortable making that call in front of everyone on the bus and disclosing the reason I needed an appointment. Even though some GPs have implemented online bookings and consultations that have improved access for some, not all young people are aware that these options even exist or know how to use them effectively. The language and processes aren’t always clear, and it can quickly become frustrating. This makes it difficult for many young people who may be navigating managing their healthcare alone for the first time. Digital exclusion can also be an issue for young people who don’t have the technology, internet access or digital literacy.
The Consequences of Limited Access to Healthcare Services
If young people can’t effectively access GP services, their health outcomes and well-being are negatively affected. This further exacerbates health disparities, particularly for young people from marginalised backgrounds. All of this can accumulate in a lack of faith and trust in GPs and wider healthcare services as it feels they actively don’t work for us, due to all these systemic barriers.
What Can Be Done
I believe it would be beneficial to young people to implement targeted community outreach programmes to raise awareness about GP services and how to effectively access support. This would inform young people, empowering us to make decisions about our health to effectively access primary care when and how we need it. This could be done in collaboration with GPs, schools, universities, community organisations, and youth services to create effective healthcare support networks for young people. Decision-makers must come together with young people to form solutions that benefit those they are intended for. Your postcode shouldn’t determine your health outcomes.
The current Prime Minister has pledged a new ‘Child Health Action Plan’ in which he hopes to ‘create the healthiest and happiest generation of children ever in Britain’ (3).
If there is a plan, now is the time for action.
READ OBINNA'S INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY ARTICLE HERE
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The Diana Award recently launched our first Youth Insights Report, focused on Youth Voice in Politics. To ensure youth involvement from the ground up, we involved Peer Researchers throughout the process to help connect us with the stories and experiences of young people. Follow Peer Researchers Gracie and Arthur, as they journey towards improving levels of youth engagement in politics and discuss the power of young people as facilitators, analysts, and champions for change.
International Youth Day, celebrated annually on 12 August, is a global celebration of the contributions, aspirations, and potential of young people around the world. It is a day of significance at The Diana Award, and to celebrate this year, we asked two young people from across our programmes to talk about a topic close to their hearts. This article, written by Iola Nkau, Co-producer on The Diana Award Young Changemakers Programme, highlights the difficulty young people have in finding and accessing GP services. The second article, written by Centre for Social Action Co-Designer, Obinna Emmanuel Ezeani, highlights the need for youth inclusion and diverse representation in decision-making processes.
The Young Changemakers Programme is a collaboration between UK Youth, Centre for Mental Health, and The Diana Award, funded by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. In June, our Co-Producers came together for a residential at Avon Tyrell to reimagine mental health services with the aim to better understand what young people from Black and Black mixed-race heritage in the UK think is working in our current mental health system, what needs to change, and how these changes should be implemented. This blog explores the challenges faced by young people of Black and Black mixed-race heritage in the UK regarding mental health services and highlights the need for cultural competence, accessibility, and representation in mental health support.
