Young People Want Hospital Waiting Rooms Where They Can Chill Out

The NHS should provide “noisy rooms” and “chill-out zones” in hospitals or other locations where young people are being treated, according to a survey by one of Scotland’s biggest health boards. A common complaint in submissions to a consultation on children and young people’s health services run by NHS Lothian was a lack of “age-appropriate” facilities in both GP surgeries and hospital settings.

Many young people were concerned at a lack of places where they could either play with toys, read magazines, or talk normally when they were waiting before appointments or during visits.

Particular issues were highlighted in acute care settings, such as the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, which ordinarily caters for children up to and including the age of 13. In future, it will be asked to care for young people up to the age of 16 or 18 in some circumstances.
Cathy Orr, child health commissioner with NHS Lothian, said: “We are committed to listening to our patients, their families and the wider public as to what they want their health service to provide.

“In particular, we are giving a higher priority to age-appropriate services, including giving greater consideration to the establishment of some clinics in primary care especially for young people and working on how best facilities in our new children’s hospital can be designed to ensure we provide suitable accommodation for young people.

“Some of the responses said that while toys and magazines could be found in GP surgeries, there was nothing for young people, and that the impression was that our services are very child-friendly but some young people found our services to be less appealing to them. Providing age-appropriate care is a challenge, but it is one we are ready to take on.”

Meanwhile, the public is fully behind plans to build the new sick children’s hospital. NHS Lothian intends to replace the existing 111-year-old Victorian building just off the Meadows with a, modern facility next to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at Little France. A total of 98% of responses to NHS Lothian endorsed the proposal.

The NHS should provide “noisy rooms” and “chill-out zones” in hospitals or other locations where young people are being treated, according to a survey by one of Scotland’s biggest health boards.

A common complaint in submissions to a consultation on children and young people’s health services run by NHS Lothian was a lack of “age-appropriate” facilities in both GP surgeries and hospital settings.

Many young people were concerned at a lack of places where they could either play with toys, read magazines, or talk normally when they were waiting before appointments or during visits.

Particular issues were highlighted in acute care settings, such as the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, which ordinarily caters for children up to and including the age of 13. In future, it will be asked to care for young people up to the age of 16 or 18 in some circumstances.
Cathy Orr, child health commissioner with NHS Lothian, said: “We are committed to listening to our patients, their families and the wider public as to what they want their health service to provide.

“In particular, we are giving a higher priority to age-appropriate services, including giving greater consideration to the establishment of some clinics in primary care especially for young people and working on how best facilities in our new children’s hospital can be designed to ensure we provide suitable accommodation for young people.

“Some of the responses said that while toys and magazines could be found in GP surgeries, there was nothing for young people, and that the impression was that our services are very child-friendly but some young people found our services to be less appealing to them. Providing age-appropriate care is a challenge, but it is one we are ready to take on.”