Calling Cornwall’s youth to join our Young Person’s Patient Council
We are setting up a new Young Person’s Patient Council, and would like to hear from children from the age of 10 and young adults (up to the age of 25) keen to make a difference and help shape the future of health services at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.
Anyone who is interested to be part of the Young Person’s Patient Council can sign up to attend an introductory event on Wednesday 12 November 2025 from 4pm to 6pm at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. Food and refreshments will be provided, and travel costs can be covered too, to ensure the event is accessible to everyone to wants to attend.
Could you be who we’re looking for?
We’re looking for young patients, or young relatives of patients, and young adults who are interested in a career in healthcare, or any young person who wants to provide open and honest thoughts, experiences and aspirations, to help make the care for our young people more youth-friendly and effective. We want to give young people a voice and the ability to make a difference in the care they receive, and have a say in the services that are available for all young people.
The idea for the Young Person’s Patient Council is being driven by RCHT consultant community paediatrician, Dr Natasha Sauven and RCHT Matron for Child Health, Carrie Jones. They, together with a few more friendly faces, will be at the launch event on 12 November to help facilitate discussions, explain how the new council could work, and talk about the type of things you might get involved with.
What to expect
There’ll be no pressure to sign up to the Patient Council there and then, but if you are interested to be a part of it, then the expectation would likely be to donate approximately 2 hours of time every 6 to 8 weeks. This is all to be decided of course, once we know who’s on board.
“We’re really excited about the prospect of setting up a Young Person’s Patient Council at RCHT,” says consultant community paediatrician, Dr Natasha Sauven. “We’ve seen how it works at the University Hospital Plymouth and the amazing improvements to waiting rooms, wards, treatments, and technology, that have been made. It would be incredible if we can emulate their success in Cornwall.”
“The voice of the patient is so important when it comes to delivering safe and compassionate care, and none more so than our younger patients and their parents,” adds Bernadette George, Director Of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Care Professionals at RCHT. “This is a wonderful opportunity to give Cornwall’s youngsters a purposeful voice, especially those who spend time in hospital, and for us to get to know and act on their worries or wish lists so that, as at Trust, we can improve our patient services for everyone.”
Here’s what to do
Anyone wishing to know more about the Young Person’s Patient Council and/or who wants to sign-up to attend the launch event on 12 November 2025 from 4pm to 6pm, can email rcht.adolescent.team@nhs.net.