More than 40 young people will attend an event at MyPlace, Westfield Folkhouse in Mansfield on Thursday, August 13, to give their views on health services across Nottinghamshire.

The event, organised by the Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board, will discuss what young people think about health services in their area and how the services could be improved to make them more ‘young person friendly’.

The event will also report back on the views of more than 1,000 young people aged 10 – 25 who have recently filled in a Young People’s Health Survey. The survey aimed to show what services are important to this age group and what topics are most frequently discussed.

The survey revealed that young people feel that they receive enough information on a range of topics but are lacking awareness and knowledge on the subject of mental and emotional health and wellbeing. They would also like an information service online where they could get answers to health queries, quickly and easily.

Coun Joyce Bosnjak, chairman of the Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “We want Nottinghamshire’s young people to be healthy and safe and to make choices that benefit them and others.

“Young people should have a loud voice in shaping health services and we want to empower them to be confident users and consumers of all aspects of our health services.

Coun Bosnjak said she was delighted that so many young people took the time to give their views on health services provision and the results would help shape health strategy going forward.

She added: “Health services in Nottinghamshire should always be inclusive – young people need to know that they are welcomed, valued and respected whatever their ethnicity, religion, gender or sexuality.”

Among the recommendations in the Young People’s Health Strategy will be an online information source on a range of health and wellbeing issues that directs young people to the most appropriate support service. This will cover prominent issues at a national level as well as set out what is available locally. Most importantly, it will give young people the chance to access information about health quickly and easily and to know where to turn to.

Andy Fox, Speciality Registrar in Public Health, added: “Young people have told us that emotional and mental wellbeing are big priorities for them so we want to give them support and encouragement to know that it’s normal to find things tough sometimes.

“We very much hope the event at MyPlace in Mansfield shows young people that we are listening to them and will be acting on many of their concerns and views.”