What are young people saying about health services?
Between November and March 2025 we have listened to 442 young people share their experiences of GP and mental health services in Warwickshire. Thank you to all young people who shared their views and to all organisations who supported our engagement work. Our full report can be read here or downloaded at the link below.
We heard about some of the challenges faced by young people
Over a third of the young people who responded to our survey told us that someone else contacts the GP for them because they find it difficult for some reason.
11% of responders told us they did not know which GP surgery they were registered at or how to contact them.
We asked young people if they felt that their personal circumstances (for example, neurodiversity, disability, gender or ethnicity) impacted on their experience of care or getting an appointment with their doctors and 20% said yes.
“I need things explained in a different way. I need to know exact details about future appointments, or I'll become stressed. I am uncomfortable or sensitive to some touch.”
“I often avoid making calls due to the anxiety that comes with autism, so when appointments through the app are unavailable, I often don't make appointments at all.”
“I’m scared that I won’t be taken seriously, or my mother will be informed. I also don’t know who my GP is and can’t find that out by myself.”
184 young people shared their experience of mental health services.
“I have anxiety and that can hinder communication via phone calls and makes the waiting list (haven’t been told approximately how long it will take to be seen or how to expect to be contacted) incredibly stressful.”
In response to this report, Healthwatch Warwickshire is encouraging services and commissioners to:
- Take in to account the impact of anxiety on communication, including the fear of using the telephone, when providing services accessible for young people.
- Address disparities in the experience of care, by collecting demographic information and engaging with young people to better understand how to meet their specific needs.
- Address the issues raised about mental health services. This includes young people’s experience of transition and communication between services, waiting times and lack of support whilst waiting. Address any disparity between quality and consistency of provision.
- Engage with young people directly when designing and evaluating health services.
Who will we share your anonymous feedback with?
- Managers of mental health services at CWPT (Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust)
- Mental Health Care Collaborative
- Place Partnerships
- Commissioners of children's’ services
- PCNs (Primary Care Networks) across Warwickshire
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Those who run and commission health services for young people.
What difference has your feedback about GPs and mental health services made?
"Almost all of the issues highlighted in the report relating to the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people are identified as areas to address, redesign or improve in our transformation plans and, in our plans, to recommission services for 2026 onwards."
Dr Imogen Staveley, Chief Medical Officer, Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board
"We know that some young people feel anxious when communicating with health professionals’ and that their particular circumstances, and experiences, can feel like a further barrier to accessing the help they need. However, we are committed to reducing these barriers and supporting young people to get the right help at the right time by the right person: using the feedback to develop a new approach in providing help for children and young people at the Trust."
Tina Swain, Director of Operations for Children and Young People Coventry & Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
"IMPACT feel the report highlights issues that are important to young people, and they are committed to working with Healthwatch Warwickshire and health partners to address the challenges that young people face when accessing health services, and in particular working together to coproduce a Young Inspectors Programme including visits to health settings to provide feedback and recommendations"
IMPACT Forum, Warwickshire County Council’s Young Person's Forum for SEND
Healthwatch Warwickshire took part in the first hospital Young Inspector's visit in September 2025.
Read the first Young Inspector's report here
Healthwatch Warwickshire continue to engage with young people and share their feedback with health and care services.
Find out more about:
- CWPT here (Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust provides a range of physical, mental health and learning disability services to children and adults across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull.)
- PCNs here (GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks)
- ICB here (NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board is responsible for commissioning health and care services on behalf of people in Coventry and Warwickshire)
