Young people 11–16

Can I see a GP or nurse without my parents being there?
Anyone aged 11 and over has the right to see a GP/nurse on their own for any problem or issue. For young people aged 11 to 16 the GP/nurse will need to discuss with you how well they consider you are able to understand what is discussed and about any advice or treatment needed. We describe this as the young person having capacity.

Can I bring a friend along for support?
Yes, you can bring a friend into the consultation with you if you would like. This does happen quite often and can be helpful as they can also remind you what was said in the consultation.

How confidential will my consultation be?
Your contact with the surgery is completely confidential. Reception staff as well as the doctors and nurses are not allowed to tell anyone that you have been to the surgery. Your consultation is also completely confidential unless there is any concern about your personal safety or risk of harm to yourself. In such a situation information may need to be shared with other professionals but this would be discussed with you first.

What do I have to tell the receptionist to get an appointment?
It can be helpful if you are able to share with the receptionist why you want to be seen so that they can make an appointment for you with the most appropriate person. They only need a small amount of information and many young people see the nurses for contraception, emergency contraception and general advice. However if you do not want to say why you are wanting an appointment that is fine and you will usually be given an appointment with a GP.

Can I get an appointment quickly?
Anyone can get an appointment on the day if they need to be seen soon. Emergency contraception needs an appointment as soon as possible and so sharing this information means we can give an appointment quickly.

Can I choose who I see?
If someone wants to see a particular nurse or doctor they may have to wait for an appointment but we have duty doctors and nurses who can see patients at short notice.

What support can you give if I have a disability?
We hope to be able to provide an equal service for all our patients whether they have disabilities or not. We have improved access for people with physical disabilities and can also consult over the telephone if easier. We have a disability register and are able to record in the notes any special requests such as longer appointments/who your carer is if you have one and if you prefer to bring someone along to your appointments. We can give advice about local support services and activities you may be interested in and we work closely with the school health service should you be having any difficulties at school. We would like to review you at least once a year if you are on any medication or have medical problems, to check that everything is going okay.

What support can you give if I don’t speak English?
If you want to bring along someone to translate for you that is always possible, or if that is not suitable we can arrange an interpreter. We can give longer appointments to people if they feel this is helpful.

What sort of issues can I see the GP/nurse for?
Just about anything! Obviously health related issues are a big part of our work but we also see young people for all sorts of things and are good at directing people to where they may need to be if we can’t sort it out.

Can I see a health professional for contraception somewhere other than my own GP surgery?
Patients who want contraceptive advice can go to family planning clinics or another GP surgery. Again, this is confidential and only shared with your own GP if you want it to be. You would continue to see their usual GP for all other health related problems.