Seeing the GP: Advice and tips for young people
Improving the surgery waiting room for young people
The people we talked to felt that GP surgery waiting rooms could be improved in several ways to make them more appealing and welcoming to young people. Here are their suggestions.
Posters and leaflets relevant to young people
Paula felt that most of the information at her local surgery was about pregnancy, the flu and smoking, and that information on contraception and STIs (sexually transmitted infections) might be more helpful. Auberon and Gentian felt that there were no posters at their surgeries that were relevant for young people as they were all aimed at older patients. Posters of illnesses more common in their age group would be helpful. Kyle felt that topics of interest to young people included spots and skin health, and Winston thought that more information on sports injuries would be useful. Siobhan recalled that there were posters at her surgery about sex and contraception but nothing about mental health. Peter felt that leaflets should be tailored to specific age groups, and include information that’s social as well as health related, such as leaflets about meeting new people and relationships, and a leaflet about trusted health websites. Up-to-date magazines for different age groups would also be useful. Tagbo felt that young people are often scared to see the GP so surgeries need to ‘entice them to go’. He felt that activities and posters that young people could engage with would be useful, including health quizzes on relevant topics. Young people were in favour of relevant information in the waiting room and wanted to know more about mental health, sexual health (including unprotected sex), relationships, and period problems. Rowan felt that it would also be helpful to have more information about mental health in schools and youth clubs because it was about ‘prevention in the playground, not in paediatrics’.
I think the worst part for me about having a mental health problem is, like when I’ve told people and I’ve seen their faces. And like some of my friends who I thought I was close to were accusing me of attention seeking. So obviously like the stigma was really difficult to cope with. Cos it was that stigma of attention seeking, not being really ill.
So that’s really hard, isn’t it?
I think that were the hardest thing for me to have to cope with at the time. And as well like cos I was like making myself throw up, it’s like my teeth aren’t very good. Like they’ve got a bit of yellow in, which just doesn’t go, because like they’ve got a bit of like stomach acid and things like that. So people would say like, “Oh, you don’t brush your teeth, you scrut.” I’m like, “I do, but it doesn’t go.” So that’s like cos the eating disorder was because of like body image problems, it’s been difficult to cope with things like stigma, attention seeking or whatever.
So they didn’t really know much about it?
I think they know about it. They just don’t really cover it during like sessions sort of thing.
So what would be, do you think, what could be helpful, a good way of like raising awareness, telling people more about these kinds of things?
I think like just saying, “Look, you might experience stigma from people who don’t understand or haven’t gone through a mental health problem.” But 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem, whether directly or indirectly. So at some point in their lives they’re gonna have to learn to understand mental health. So you’re just gonna have to learn to stick it out and cope with it and find someone who you can really open up about how the stigma is affecting you.
Other people wanted more information on puberty, stress and exams, and smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse. Hazzan felt that it was important to have information about mental and sexual health, puberty, and healthy relationships:
What kind of things do you think that young people would be confused about, and would probably think some posters or leaflets would actually be helpful in the surgery?
I think…I'll answer the latter question first. I think they would be helpful if they were directly given to young people and not just put up because I don’t think they'd take the time to look at it unless it was handed to them. But the stuff that they should put up is things like sexual health and mental health – I think those two are very important because those are the two things that are changing, and puberty of course. And healthy relationships and things like that and like, yeah, just like staying healthy and safe sex and things like that.
People also thought that it would be useful to have some posters about what to expect when visiting the GP and their rights (such as privacy, and being able to decide whether they want a parent or friend at the appointment with them).
A more colourful waiting room with comfortable seating
Rowan felt that more colour could make surgery waiting rooms look ‘cheery’, and Nikki thought that a ‘warmer’ colour would be better for surgeries rather than a plain one. Louis felt that colour would ‘liven up’ surgeries and, if they looked more modern, they would feel more welcoming. Aphra recalled that her village surgery has ‘a really nice community feel’ and has art work on the walls made by children from the local primary school. Rowan also stressed the importance of having and being able to access Wi-Fi, and several people felt that having a TV in the waiting room would help pass the time when appointments were running late.
This is going to be a bad comparison, but it can use a little upgrade sometimes to make it a little bit more welcoming. I mean just since I went to a lot of doctors in America also, I know they try to make it more welcoming. And here if you go and it’s like, you know you’re at a doctor’s place.
And no matter how we look at it in our mind, when we go to the doctors, we just keep thinking, ‘Oh, this is probably something bad.’ Like it’s probably nothing in the end, but you’re thinking of the worst and that place is not really helping you take your mind off of it. It’s like, okay, it’s cold. The chairs are uncomfortable. It’s like they probably got it from a garage sale or something like that. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s not welcoming at all.
So having those posters up on the wall, as in like lung cancer and that and that. Yeah, have pamphlets on the table, so if someone wants to read it, read it. But like really on the wall too? A huge poster covering the whole wall that you’re going to die from cancer. That’s not really helping anyone. So, yeah, just try to use a little colour and your imagination to brighten it up a little bit, and yeah.
So if I said to you right now, like you’ve got a blank canvas and you could design the waiting room however you want, how would you design it and how would you make it inclusive for young people, to make young people feel comfortable.
Probably, actually having magazines that are up to date. That’s a good thing. Most people are interested. Having a variety of them helps a lot and just putting posters up, even if you get posters, like pictures. Like, you don’t have to go all out. I mean, I understand there’s a budget for every company. But still, just having a poster would be a lot better than having a poster of like dying from, you know, lung cancer or something like that. To me, that’s a little bit extreme. So have the pamphlets there. You know, put in like actually chairs, actual chairs. If you go to IKEA, it’s not that expensive. So yeah, make it a little bit less stressful and cold.
Posters and leaflets relevant to young people
Paula felt that most of the information at her local surgery was about pregnancy, the flu and smoking, and that information on contraception and STIs (sexually transmitted infections) might be more helpful. Auberon and Gentian felt that there were no posters at their surgeries that were relevant for young people as they were all aimed at older patients. Posters of illnesses more common in their age group would be helpful. Kyle felt that topics of interest to young people included spots and skin health, and Winston thought that more information on sports injuries would be useful. Siobhan recalled that there were posters at her surgery about sex and contraception but nothing about mental health. Peter felt that leaflets should be tailored to specific age groups, and include information that’s social as well as health related, such as leaflets about meeting new people and relationships, and a leaflet about trusted health websites. Up-to-date magazines for different age groups would also be useful. Tagbo felt that young people are often scared to see the GP so surgeries need to ‘entice them to go’. He felt that activities and posters that young people could engage with would be useful, including health quizzes on relevant topics. Young people were in favour of relevant information in the waiting room and wanted to know more about mental health, sexual health (including unprotected sex), relationships, and period problems. Rowan felt that it would also be helpful to have more information about mental health in schools and youth clubs because it was about ‘prevention in the playground, not in paediatrics’.
The worst part about having a mental health problem was the reactions of some friends. It would help if GPs and counsellors told people that this could happen.
The worst part about having a mental health problem was the reactions of some friends. It would help if GPs and counsellors told people that this could happen.
Sex: Female
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So that’s really hard, isn’t it?
I think that were the hardest thing for me to have to cope with at the time. And as well like cos I was like making myself throw up, it’s like my teeth aren’t very good. Like they’ve got a bit of yellow in, which just doesn’t go, because like they’ve got a bit of like stomach acid and things like that. So people would say like, “Oh, you don’t brush your teeth, you scrut.” I’m like, “I do, but it doesn’t go.” So that’s like cos the eating disorder was because of like body image problems, it’s been difficult to cope with things like stigma, attention seeking or whatever.
So they didn’t really know much about it?
I think they know about it. They just don’t really cover it during like sessions sort of thing.
So what would be, do you think, what could be helpful, a good way of like raising awareness, telling people more about these kinds of things?
I think like just saying, “Look, you might experience stigma from people who don’t understand or haven’t gone through a mental health problem.” But 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem, whether directly or indirectly. So at some point in their lives they’re gonna have to learn to understand mental health. So you’re just gonna have to learn to stick it out and cope with it and find someone who you can really open up about how the stigma is affecting you.
It would be better if GPs gave young people leaflets because they’d be more likely to read them then.
It would be better if GPs gave young people leaflets because they’d be more likely to read them then.
Sex: Male
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I think…I'll answer the latter question first. I think they would be helpful if they were directly given to young people and not just put up because I don’t think they'd take the time to look at it unless it was handed to them. But the stuff that they should put up is things like sexual health and mental health – I think those two are very important because those are the two things that are changing, and puberty of course. And healthy relationships and things like that and like, yeah, just like staying healthy and safe sex and things like that.
A more colourful waiting room with comfortable seating
Rowan felt that more colour could make surgery waiting rooms look ‘cheery’, and Nikki thought that a ‘warmer’ colour would be better for surgeries rather than a plain one. Louis felt that colour would ‘liven up’ surgeries and, if they looked more modern, they would feel more welcoming. Aphra recalled that her village surgery has ‘a really nice community feel’ and has art work on the walls made by children from the local primary school. Rowan also stressed the importance of having and being able to access Wi-Fi, and several people felt that having a TV in the waiting room would help pass the time when appointments were running late.
Ish doesn’t find GP surgeries welcoming. He feels they should be brightened up, have up-to-date magazines, and some pictures on the walls.
Ish doesn’t find GP surgeries welcoming. He feels they should be brightened up, have up-to-date magazines, and some pictures on the walls.
Sex: Male
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
And no matter how we look at it in our mind, when we go to the doctors, we just keep thinking, ‘Oh, this is probably something bad.’ Like it’s probably nothing in the end, but you’re thinking of the worst and that place is not really helping you take your mind off of it. It’s like, okay, it’s cold. The chairs are uncomfortable. It’s like they probably got it from a garage sale or something like that. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s not welcoming at all.
So having those posters up on the wall, as in like lung cancer and that and that. Yeah, have pamphlets on the table, so if someone wants to read it, read it. But like really on the wall too? A huge poster covering the whole wall that you’re going to die from cancer. That’s not really helping anyone. So, yeah, just try to use a little colour and your imagination to brighten it up a little bit, and yeah.
So if I said to you right now, like you’ve got a blank canvas and you could design the waiting room however you want, how would you design it and how would you make it inclusive for young people, to make young people feel comfortable.
Probably, actually having magazines that are up to date. That’s a good thing. Most people are interested. Having a variety of them helps a lot and just putting posters up, even if you get posters, like pictures. Like, you don’t have to go all out. I mean, I understand there’s a budget for every company. But still, just having a poster would be a lot better than having a poster of like dying from, you know, lung cancer or something like that. To me, that’s a little bit extreme. So have the pamphlets there. You know, put in like actually chairs, actual chairs. If you go to IKEA, it’s not that expensive. So yeah, make it a little bit less stressful and cold.
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