The document discusses adolescent health and issues related to consulting with young people. It notes that adolescent health has traditionally been seen as a "cinderella" area but is increasingly being recognized as important. It raises questions about whether practices offer separate services for 12-20 year olds and clinicians' confidence in consulting with young people. Barriers to adolescent care mentioned include time pressures, practice organization, knowledge, and experience. The document emphasizes that active listening, curiosity, compassion, and not viewing young people as fundamentally different are important for good adolescent care.

1. RCGP Adolescent Health Group
Jane H Roberts, Chair

2. } Young people’s health traditionally seen as
‘cinderella’ area
} Clinicians, academics, policy makers,
increasingly describing the importance of
adolescence as a key stage in the life course
} Commissioning may well act as catalyst
Are you involved with your local CCG?
Do they have a commissioning ‘intention’ re
CYP?

3. } Sawyer et al, (2012) Lancet: 379; 1630-40
Pre-
conceptua
l
factors
Early child
hood Puberty Adult hood
Social
determinants of
health; risk and
protective factors
Health –related
behaviours and
health outcomes

4. } Do you consider young
people to be a separate
social group?
} Does your practice
offer anything different
for the 12-20 year
olds?
} How confident do you
feel about consulting
with young people?

5. } Do you consider young people to be a
separate social group
} Or do you see them as patients on a life’s
journey?
} Tension between seeing YP as different and
with particular needs or seeing them as
moving through a life course

6. } Levels of knowledge?
} Levels of confidence?
} Time pressures?
} Practice organization?
} Degree of professional experience?
} Educational experience?
} Specific subject areas?

7. } Adult anxiety can inhibit talking with young
people
} Seeing young people as ‘different’ can often
distance us
} Active listening, curiosity and compassion sit
at the heart of good adolescent care
} Psychosocial and physical health intertwined
} You do not need to be an ‘expert’
} Core skills of good general practice are key
} Practice systems underpin good care