Telford and Wrekin teenagers hold heart of local health services in the palm of their hand

YOUNG people from Telford and Wrekin will be wearing their hearts on their sleeves after designing a new logo to show their commitment and passion to local health services.

Telford and Wrekin’s Young Health Champions - who have met three times since forming in January, most recently, last Sunday -  designed the new logo – which features a hand with a heart in its palm – to demonstrate their new found unity and purpose, as a group of young people determined to have their say on the future of healthcare where they live.

The design is set to be printed onto a batch of T-Shirts to be worn exclusively by the Young Health Champions, with each shirt personalised with the owners’ name and the CCG’s logo.

One of the Young Health Champions, Anna Simpkins, 15, a pupil from Charlton School in Wellington, said: “It’s amazing how I can have this opportunity to explain my own ideas on how the NHS could improve for today’s youth. 

“Each meeting is a new experience and I’m so glad I signed up,” she said. “It was especially fun to design the t-shirts as it was something I’d never done before.
“The final design looks fantastic and I can’t wait to finally get them.”

Billy Davies, 16, another member of the group, and also a pupil at Charlton School, said: “I find being a health champion really useful and informative. The design we chose makes us identifiable and I think it’s quite effective.”

The group of eight, who met in January for the first time, are supported by Sharon Smith, patient engagement lead at Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group, (CCG), the group responsible for purchasing local healthcare services.

Ms Smith said: “We were thrilled when the group first formed. The enthusiasm, energy and heart they have shown in working with the CCG to make sure the voice of young people is heard  and that they contribute to how we choose and design health services is inspiring.”

Stirchley-based GP Dr Michael Innes, chair of the CCG, said: “The logo is a really nice idea which clearly identifies the Young Health Champion as a group of outstanding young people who are working for the health of all of the population in Telford and Wrekin.

“It also clearly demonstrates our commitment to work with the young people who are our future," he said.
 
"What they think and how they feel about healthcare services is so important, so it was perfect that they should be given the opportunity to come up with their own design.”