Healthwatch Dorset
Project case study
Making health and care better for young people in Dorset
Healthwatch Dorset’s 2023 report, Your Mind, Your Say, provides valuable insight from local young people to inform NHS Dorset’s review of young people’s mental health services.
The recommendations for change presented in the report are based on in-depth conversations with 23 young people from groups who do not always have a strong voice. This includes young people who have experienced trauma, young refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals, those who are outside of mainstream school, young offenders and previously looked after children. The report also reflects back and builds on the Healthwatch Dorset 2021 Young Listeners project which presented feedback from 70 local young people.
Several recommendations were made to address the improvements young people want to see around:
- Shorter waiting times.
- Treating young people as individuals.
- Comfortable non-clinical settings.
- Better continuity of care, with support from the same mental health staff.
- More follow-up support, including post-treatment check-ins.
- Offering activities during Talking Therapy sessions, to help young people feel comfortable.
- Appropriate self-help suggestions.
In February 2024, Healthwatch Dorset talked to the Student Services team at Weymouth College about common mental health issues young people are struggling with, how the College supports them, and what they think could be done to improve mental health care for young people in Dorset.
Read the blogs
Weymouth College Student Support Services
Supporting young people to stay healthy and well (February 2024):
- Sue – Head of Student Services and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Nola – NEET Re-engagement Manager
- Kirsty – Safeguarding Officer
Read the reports
Your Mind, Your Say: Young people's views of mental health services
PDF 2MB, October 2023
“The report perfectly illustrates the need to improve mental health services for young people living in Dorset and especially for young people who experience more challenges getting the type of help they need. Getting it right for all young people is important and so this report will underpin all the work, making mental health services better for young people in Dorset.”
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