Young people are often scared of coming to the doctors because they think we will mention things to their parents; THIS IS NOT THE CASE!! We see lots of young people and talk to them in the same way as we would to adults. We are not allowed to mention anything to your parents; this would be breaking confidentiality and risking our jobs! It is fine for you to bring a friend if you would feel happier with someone in the room to give moral support!
The only time we may have to tell parents or other people would be if your life or someone else’s was in serious danger but we would have to tell you this at the time. Members of staff in the surgery will not be able to mention anything to your parents either and we certainly won’t mention it if we see you with your folks in Morrisons!
We are a practice with a lot of younger members of staff, nurses and GPs – none of whom are old fashioned. We understand what it is like to be a young person and what issues and dilemmas you are going through.
If you’re a bit embarrassed by what your body looks like, or you’re not sure about something and can’t chat about it with your mates… pop in! We are happy to reassure you of what is normal, or not!
Sometimes you might not know who to turn to if you’ve been bullied, or are feeling angry, frustrated or down. As a practice, we’re happy to chat about anything with you, in confidence.
You may wish to access alternative support and within this booklet we have included a list of useful website links and contacts which you may want to consider in relation to young people and families requiring additional support.
We’re happy to talk to everyone about contraception and the different options available, and we also offer free STI checks.
If you’ve been caught out and you think you might be at risk of pregnancy then DON’T DELAY! If you ring the surgery we will always try to see you on the same day. At the weekend most chemists can give out the morning after pill for free. The sooner this is taken, the more effective it is.