New room for waiting teens at hospital
Adedicatedwaitingroomfor youngpeopleattendingmedical appointments has been opened.
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and Together for Children worked with young people from the Change Council to designthenewwaitingroom, whichisamoreprivatespace forthoseaged13andaboveto socialise and have fun.
The Children’s Centre in DurhamRoadinSunderland previouslyonlyhadonewaiting room for children from birth onwards.
The new room is focused more around younger children and feedback had shown that teenagers were less likely to attend appointments because of this.
With money donated fromtheCityHospitalsCharitable Fund for Children, Niall Quinn Children’s Charity and the OK2 Looked after Fund, the centre has created a dedicated teenage room inthat cludingafootballtable,sofas, flat screen TV and music.
There is also age appropriate information about health and wellbeing on offer as well.
Dr Kim Barrett, consultant paediatrician and designateddoctorforsafeguarding and looked after children, said: “Thanks to charitable donations, we have been able to develop a dedicated space for these young people toimprovetheiroverallexperience of visiting the centre and in turn encourage them to attend appointments.
“Hugethankstoeveryone has been involved in the project, especially the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Looked After Children Health Team, Together for Children Sunderland and especially the young people, who have worked so hard make the young people’s opinions become a reality.”
Jane Wheeler, participationandcomplaintsmanager atTogetherforChildren,said: “TheyoungpeopleinChange Council really enjoyed working on the project to design a newwaitingroomattheChildren’s Centre. ”