Platform 51

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Friday, 30 October 2009
Young people want better sexual health services

Mystery shopping in Northampton

A recent survey carried out by YWCA and commissioned by the Teenage Pregnancy Implementation Group, evaluated 32 venues in the Northampton area. Young people from YWCA and other youth organisations assessed venues that provide contraception and sexual health advice to teenagers in Northampton.

The young people were recruited from disadvantaged communities and included four young mothers. 16 per cent found the welcome to be unfriendly and 59 per cent said that the venues were not young people friendly. However 56 per cent rated their overall experience as excellent or very good and 78 per cent found it easy to find the venues.

Kathryn White, centre manager at YWCA Northampton, said: “We were very disappointed that so many young people said they wouldn’t use the service again. And these were young people who had been trained to carry out the assessment and so perhaps were less shy about asking questions. What reaction would a worried or nervous teen have after they have managed to overcome their fears to ask what are probably to them was a very embarrassing question? Even a greater percentage would not come back”

There were huge discrepancies in how the services were provided. The NHS clinics fulfilled the clinical needs of the young people but did not always make them feel comfortable. The Youth Support Agencies were felt to be more friendly and approachable. While pharmacies had a mixed reaction with some deemed better than others.

Jane Waite, the programme lead for the Teenage Pregnancy Trust for NHS Northamptonshire, said: “Reducing the number of under-18 pregnancies is one of our key targets and involving YWCA in assessing the facilities that young people use will prove incredibly helpful. This report will help to improve sexual health services for young people.”

Read the report