What we do
If you’re aged 11-18 and have received care at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, you can join our young patients’ forum, Victoria’s Voice.
The group started in 2012 and gets involved in lots of different projects to make sure that children and young people have their say in how services work for them and others like them.
Victoria’s Voice meet every month after school and sometimes get together for special projects in between. Some of the things the group do regularly are:
Choosing new staff – When we recruit new staff for children’s services at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Victoria’s Voice get involved in the interviews. They create and ask their own questions and help us to choose who will work here.
Educating Doctors – Blackpool Victoria Hospital is part of a ‘Teaching Hospitals Trust’. This means that student Doctors come to our hospital to do part of their training. Victoria’s Voice run a lesson that these Doctors take part in, talking about how to speak with children and young people and why it’s important for them to get involved in decisions about their health and treatments.
Creating resources and campaigns – The group regularly create new materials for children’s services and staff, like the ‘Charter of Promises’ and our ‘Top tips for talking to young patients’ cards.
Decision making – When decisions are being made about how to run or change a service for children and young people, Victoria’s Voice has the chance to be involved and take part in meetings and discussions and put across their opinions and ideas
The best way for Blackpool Victoria to become the best at looking after people, is to find out what we do well, and what we can do better.
Doctors and Nurses know about medicines and keeping you healthy, but only you can tell us how we can make you as safe, happy and knowledgeable about your health and when you have to stay in hospital.
For instance:
- How do you feel when you’re in hospital?
- Do our Doctors introduce themselves and explain what’s going on?
- How can we keep children happy when you’re waiting for an appointment?
Blackpool Victoria Hospital really likes to hear from its patients, it’s so important that we can help as many people to be as healthy and happy as possible and be supportive when times are tough.
There are many projects like this across the country and a lot of people agree that listening to you and other patients is a good idea; they’ve even written it down in policies and guidance.
One of the most important times that listening to children and young people is mentioned is in something called the United Nation’s Convention of Rights to the Child or Children’s Rights.
Our country signed up to make sure that each child aged up to 18, has the things mentioned in children’s rights.
Article 12 says that ‘Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account’ (UNCRC, Article 12).
You can find out lots of information about all of the Children’s Rights here https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/ or perhaps ask a teacher.
Victoria’s Voice will be one of many ways that children and young people can help make decisions about Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
We will do this by:
Letting you ask questions, and then giving you the answers
Why do I have to wait to see the Doctor?
Asking your opinions
What do you think of our new unit?
Involving you when we are choosing and training new staff
What questions should we ask?
Helping you to tell people what we do
Did you know that at the hospital there’s a group just for young people…
Using your words to create easy to read information
Information about the hospital, conditions, medicines.
What do you do with our views?
Each group session we will have a list of things to talk about, called an agenda.
The staff will make sure that your opinions are written down and then they will do two things:
- Discuss your ideas with staff – so that we can make changes and your views can influence decisions that we make
- Share the work of Victoria’s Voice – many people are interested in what you have to say. Our NHS Trust has a Board of Members and Governors, these are people who, like you, want to help make decisions about the hospital and make things the best we can. We will make sure that they hear your views and sometimes they might like to ask your advice.
Victoria’s Voice will work along the same guidelines as the hospital around keeping you and your information safe.
Any personal information that you tell us will remain confidential, unless you tell us something where you or another person may be hurt, be unsafe, or could be hurt in the future. In this case we may need to tell another person so that we can make sure that you/ they will be safe. We will only tell people who can help.
Information such as your name and address will be kept in one place under a passworded account.
Anything that you tell us about your health and opinions on the service will stay anonymous. Anyone who reads this information will not be able to link it to you unless you would like to be quoted and agree to us sharing your name.
Blackpool Victoria Hospital is always listening to the opinions of children, young people and their families.
Victoria’s Voice meets once a month, outside of school hours at a time to suit you. Our group sessions will be within the Women and Children’s Unit.
Sometimes, we may have a special occasion when we’d like you to get involved, maybe to help interview staff or provide you with training, but we’ll make sure that you don’t miss out on school or spending time with your friends.
NHS England has a group of young people to represent the whole of England, to help listen to what children and young people think about health: NHS England – Youth Forum
The Children’s Commissioner for England is in charge of making sure children and young people’s opinions are listened to, and taken seriously. Their website has lots of activities and news about how you can be heard about things such as school, health, crime and lots of other issues that children and young people face. Children’s Commissioner for England
You can find out lots of information about all of the Children’s Rights on the internet or perhaps ask a teacher.
Alternatively, you can email or phone Rebecca Booth, Patient Experience Officer, who can give you more information and will try to answer any questions.
