Young people will be get the chance to discuss health and social issues with healthcare and council leaders at a Question Time-style debate next week.

The Health Debate, organised by West Nottinghamshire College’s Students’ Union and health and wellbeing team, will see over 60 students given the opportunity to put topical health problems and statistics out for discussion with a panel of eight high-profile members of the community on Tuesday, 6 May.

Issues such as smoking, substance misuse, obesity in young people, teenage pregnancy and sexual health, poverty and mental health will be put to the panel to help dispel myths, offer advice and hear the views of students at the Mansfield-based college.

On the panel will be:

•Counc Chris Baron, leader of Ashfield District Council
•Alison Cooper and Carla Rainbow from Hetty’s drug and alcohol advisory service
•Keith Sudbury, on behalf of the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity
•Angela Knight, paediatric nurse specialist from The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Dr Ahmed, consultant paediatrician from The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Alison Duckers, Healthwatch Nottinghamshire Community and Partnerships Worker
•Dr Clare Bale, independent health consultant

As the debate progresses, each student will have a red and a green voting card to indicate their approval or disapproval of responses given by the panel.

Jamie Wragg, team leader of the health and wellbeing team, said: “This debate is something that will enable our students to have a voice, to have some difficult and controversial questions answered by expert individuals who have the health and wellbeing of young people in mind.

“We’re very excited to be hosting something like this and I’m confident our students will pose some interesting and thought-provoking questions and it will be good to hear the many views of the professionals who we’re welcoming to the panel.”