Health and Wellbeing Board	19 March 2025
Report of the Manager, Healthwatch York

Healthwatch York Report: “Young People’s Experiences of Health and Social Care: Core Connectors report” March 2025.

Summary

· This report is for the attention and action of Board members, sharing a report from the Core Connectors team, based in Healthwatch York which shares the results of their peer research.

Background

· Healthwatch York provides information and advice about health and care services, signposts people to support, and listens to their experiences when accessing health and care services.

· We received funding from NHS England through Humber and North Yorkshire ICB to be part of the national Core Connectors programme. This work had already begun across the wider ICS. This involved Core Connectors surveying other young people about health and care services, with a focus on the Core20Plus5 health concerns of asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, oral health and mental health.

· Our work is based on the programme that had already been developed. However, our Core Connectors in York, and our Public Health team colleagues, were keen to gain a broader understanding of how it feels growing up in York. As a result the survey our Core Connectors used reflected this broader aim.

· This report, created by our Core Connectors, shares what they learnt from young people in the city over the year this project ran.

Main/Key Issues to be considered

· Our report’s key findings are:

· The cost-of-living crisis is impacting on young people, with challenges affording the basics of life, increased costs to access healthcare services, and worries about their finances affecting their mental wellbeing

· Young people have concerns about waiting times for accessing services and support.

· Many reported that worries and stress relating to education had negative impacts on their wellbeing.

· Things that can have a positive impact included healthcare, education support, families and friendships, hobbies and self care.

Consultation

· In producing this report, our Core Connectors held conversations with young people across the city.

Options

· There are recommendations within this report set out on pages 33-34.

        Implications

· There are no specialist implications from this report.

· Financial

There are no financial implications in this report.

· Human Resources (HR)

There are no HR implications in this report.

· Equalities

There are no equalities implications in this report.

· Legal

There are no legal implications in this report.

· Crime and Disorder

There are no crime and disorder implications in this report.

· Information Technology (IT)

There are no IT implications in this report.

· Property

There are no property implications in this report.

· Other

There are no other implications in this report.

        Risk Management

· There are no risks associated with this report.

        Recommendations

· The Health and Wellbeing Board are asked to:

i. Receive the Core Connectors report,

ii. Provide a response to the recommendations to be collated for the July Health and Wellbeing Board,

Reason: To keep up to date with the work of Healthwatch York and be aware of what members of the public are telling us.

Contact Details

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Siân Balsom Manager Healthwatch York 01904 621133
	Report Approved	Date	10.03.25
Wards Affected:  All				All	P
For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers:

Annex A - https://www.healthwatchyork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Core-Connector-report-March-2025.pdf

Also available at https://bit.ly/CoreConnect25