At Wooler Health, together with our patient group, we are looking at better ways to engage with the younger patients of the practice.  We realise the difficulty young people can face if they have a problem and they are not sure who to talk to or are embarrassed to come into the surgery and ask for an appointment so we are going to look at ways of improving this.  We would be delighted if any young person wanted to help us with this, please contact the practice manager on 01668 280036.

We already offer appointments to young people under 16 who are presumed to be competent to give consent for their own medical care unaccompanied, if they so wish. They will be encouraged to attend with a responsible adult but this will only be a requirement if their safety is thought to be at risk.

Treatment will be kept completely confidential by everyone in the practice unless the doctor has reasonable grounds to suspect that the young person is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.

In emergency situations when a   parent/guardian or other relative is unable to be contacted and the young person does not have the capacity to   consent for him or herself, we will provide immediate necessary treatment on the   basis that it is in the patient’s best interests.