Healthwatch East Sussex – Children and Young People Friendly GP Accreditation

The Station Practice in Hastings has become the first GP practice to be awarded a Children and Young People Friendly GP Accreditation by Healthwatch East Sussex.

What is the children and Young People Friendly GP Accreditation?

Throughout 2024 Healthwatch East Sussex co-created the accreditation with young people from Hastings in a project funded by Hastings Universal Healthcare. The accreditation is awarded to practices who meet a set of standards for creating more youth-friendly services.

The accreditation criteria cover four key themes identified by young volunteers:

1. Providing accessible information on issues affecting young people
2. Addressing anxiety and neurodiversity in the practice environment
3. Ensuring ease of appointment bookings
4. Creating a welcoming atmosphere and actively listening to young people

Through activities such as practice visits and website audits, young people contributed directly to the development of these themes and the criteria within them. Their observations were shared with participating GP practices, providing practical insights that enabled improvements to meet the needs of young people.

Station Practice in Hastings

Following the accreditation process Station Practice in Hastings was the first practice to be awarded. The award highlights the practice’s commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and creating a welcoming environment for children and young people.

The Station Practice has taken this feedback seriously, implementing changes that directly align with the accreditation’s themes and criteria. Station Practice commented:

“We are delighted to have achieved the Children and Young People Friendly GP Accreditation. This recognition reflects our commitment to making the practice more welcoming and accessible for young people.

From creating a dedicated section on our website to providing tailored information in a new leaflet corner on Level 2, we’ve worked hard to ensure young people can easily find the care and support they need. We are proud to support our young patients and look forward to continuing this important work.”

How can my practice find out more?

The accreditation guidance and scoring packs are now available to other GP practices across East Sussex. If your practice is interested in becoming recognised as Children and Young People Friendly through Healthwatch East Sussex contact us at:

Email: enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.org.uk