The Young Persons’ Council (YPC) is one of the patient carer councils at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB).
The voice of teenagers and young adults can be difficult to capture, and we want young people to have the chance to help us develop better standards for teenage and young adult patients.
The YPC exists to improve the care of 16- to 24-year-old patients at UHB’s hospitals and facilities, including:
- Birmingham Chest Clinic
- Good Hope Hospital
- Heartlands Hospital
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
- Solihull Hospital
Who can join the YPC?
You need to be aged 16 to 24 to join, and you will need to register as a volunteer at UHB. However, you don’t need to have been a patient at the Trust to join.
You are welcome to attend an online meeting to see what goes on before joining.
What does membership involve?
Members attend YPC meetings, and there are usually seven or eight of these each year. You may be asked to read documents or complete certain tasks between meetings.
Members of staff also attend the meetings to tell YPC members about some of the work taking place at the Trust.
Meetings are currently being held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meetings previously took place at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
Before coronavirus restrictions were introduced, YPC members had the opportunity to meet young patients on the wards, gain their feedback and to attend fact-finding events in the hospital. This included working with members of the public. We hope to be able to provide these opportunities again soon.
YPC members may also be consulted on projects and changes in the hospitals.
YPC members receive some of the same training as UHB staff, including infection control and protecting patient data.
What will I get out of it?
- You will have the opportunity to make a difference to issues that can affect young patients at our hospitals
- You will also learn new skills in public speaking, which can help to build your confidence levels
- You will have the chance to meet new people and to work with others
- You will have the opportunity to chair a YPC meeting, which can help to develop organisational and communication skills. These skills will be useful in employment and can be added to your CV
- You will begin to learn how healthcare systems work, and understand the wide range of jobs and skills that it takes to run a large healthcare organisation
Information: Interested in joining the YPC?
If you are interested in joining the YPC, please contact Lorraine Bateman.
Lorraine will let you know when the next meeting is and will help you start the process of registering as a volunteer.
I wanted to join so I could contribute and make a difference to the lives of oung patients in the Trust.
I joined so I could make a real difference to young people of all backgrounds in the hospital by sharing my ideas and opinions
The YPC allows young people to come together, to talk about current goings on in the NHS and world overall.
Last reviewed: 31 October 2021