You're Welcome in Healthwize

Healthwize, which is run by Torbay Care Trust has become the first place in the South West to become accredited with the Department of Health, national quality mark; You’re Welcome. The national quality mark which is aimed at all health services throughout the country where young people aged 11-19 are likely to be potential users, highlights services which are young people friendly and committed to developing and improving services.  The accreditation of Healthwize, a young people’s drop in centre for information, advice and services comes just one year after it first opened.

 In order to receive the accreditation Healthwize had to ensure that various aspects of the service were designed with the end user in mind and delivered against the You’re Welcome criteria. The criteria included a range of topics such as accessibility, environment, publicity, confidentiality and consent, training of staff and joined up working. However the key aspect of the You’re Welcome process is the involvement of young people in designing and shaping services. Healthwize involved young people from the outset of the project to ensure a service suited to the needs of young people was created. To pass the criteria the service also had to go through a regional verifying process.

 Siobhan Grady, Assistant Director of Public Health & You’re Welcome Lead, Torbay Care Trust said: “We are delighted to be the first place in the South West to receive this quality mark. It recognises Healthwize as a venue that is committed to being young person friendly, and is of particular importance as the service as a whole is geared around under 25’s.

 “The fact that young people are involved in the You’re Welcome process from start to finish gives added weight to the accreditation, representing what young people truly want out of a health service. Knowing that a service has this type of accreditation is reassuring for young people and gives them the confidence to access support and advice which can have a real impact on their wellbeing.

 “This is an exciting step forward for Torbay in developing services that are built around the needs young people locally and we look forward to continuing this across the range of health services throughout Torbay.”

 Justine Womack, Head of Sexual Health South West, said: “It is great news that the Healthwize initiative in Torbay has been awarded the national You’re Welcome accreditation.

 “It is really important that we support young people to make positive choices about their health.  A big part of that is providing them with information and services that they can relate to and access easily.

 “I congratulate the team behind Healthwize for their commitment to young people and for becoming the first in the South West to achieve this quality mark.”

 By 2020 there is an expectation that all health services that are accessed by young people will carry the quality mark. The Care Trust plans to continue leading the way in the South West with plans for further health services including GP surgeries, Castle Circus Health Centre and educational settings to be accredited with quality mark over the next year. Two local youngsters have been given specialist training to become Verifiers of the standards and will continue to work along side the Care Trust in assessing future health sites.

 Healthwize is based in the heart of Torquay town centre and provides a free and confidential service for young people aged 13-24 providing information, advice and services on all aspects of health and wellbeing, including healthy eating, exercise, emotional health, stop smoking and sexual health. Healthwize is open Monday- Friday 3-5.30pm as well as Saturday 11.30-3.30pm.