Free annual health checks
Annual health checks are free for adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability. Find out more about annual health checks (opens a new window)
Confidential health advice and information service for 16-25 year olds
Have your say on health matters
Young people have rights when making decisions and choices about their healthcare. This video from the GET Your Rights website tells you more.
The Get Your Rights website contains accessible information, leafets and videos about the following subjects:
- Using the NHS.
- Being treated well.
- Making decisions.
- Your local area.
- Wellbeing and Adulthood.
Local groups to get involved with
There are local and national groups that you can get involved with to have your say on health services. Some may have youth participation groups.
These are:
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)
CCGs are groups of local GPs that work together to plan and buy (commission) NHS health services in England for their local population. Clinical commissioning groups work with patients, health and social care partners to meet local health and social care needs.
Youth Out Loud
Youth Out Loud! are a group of people aged 13-17 working with Healthwatch Richmond and Healthwatch Kingston.
We are interested in how the local health system works, we are looking to understand what children and young people think about it and improve its services.
Youth Out Loud! was launched on the 8th of April 2019 and it is supported by Richmond and Kingston Councils, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Achieving for Children.
Find out more about Youth Out Loud and how to get involved (opens a window)
Local Healthwatch
Your Local Healthwatch has a statutory role to provide patients with advice on how to take forward a complaint, or resolve an issue.
Find out more about your local group.
NHS Youth ForumNHS England has a Youth Form, which is made up of 25 young people recruited from all over the country and linked in to a Facebook network of hundreds more young people, the forum aims to provide a voice for young people. The young people will work in partnership with NHS England, Public Health England and Department of Health to improve the services for young people. For the first year, their priorities will be:
- Working with partners to develop recommendations for improving communication between young people and clinicians.
- Improving awareness of mental health issues for young people.
- Focusing on de-stigmatising sexual health services and improving young people’s sexual health.
Visit the NHS England Youth Forum website (opens in new window)
Join discussions on the NHS England Youth Forum Facebook page (opens in new window) or Twitter feed @NHSYouthForum #NHSYF.
Become a YoungMinds Activist
Join YoungMinds and campaign for change in children and young people's mental health. Find out how to become an activist and what you’ll be able to do when you join.
Forum for People with a Learning Disability and/or Autism, Families, Carers and Supporters
There is a NHS England Forum for people with a learning disability and/or autism, their familes, carers and supporters. There are regular meetings and workshops so that people with a learning disability can have their say in NHS work.