Taking a risk to help those most at risk: Youth Advisory Councils and innovative partnerships with young people in detention

Research indicates that good healthcare for adolescents and young adults (AYA) differs from paediatric, adult and geriatric care, and that the design and delivery of AYA appropriate care is in its infancy. To address the gap in understanding what good AYA healthcare looks like for West Moreton youth, a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) was established in 2021. West Moreton Health (WMH) launched its inaugural YAC with members aged 16 to 30 years. The YAC includes young people from diverse cultural backgrounds, socio-economic backgrounds, health service needs and four members residing at the BYDC. The benefits are numerous and include:

• Increased health literacy for young people
• Resources designed by young people for young people in partnership with WMH staff. This ensures that the resources designed are relevant and relatable for young people
• Services co-designed and/or informed by young people to ensure the care is relevant and appropriate
• Increased staff satisfaction has been noted as part of the evaluation process
• Increased efficiencies and return on investment – resources and services are more relevant and accepted by the young people. Less time is spent on duplicating care to achieve the same outcome.

Changes that have been co-reviewed and co-redesigned with BYDC YAC members include:

• Evaluating the benefit of nurse-doctor time and ratios
• Co-designing entry and exit processes for new and exiting residents
• Reviewing the health assessment upon intake at the centre to ensure it addresses the most urgent matters first, but in a way that the young person can understand and make truly informed consent
• The establishment of a new Health Reference Group within BYDC, consisting of WMH staff and consumer representation from each of the residential units, has increased the opportunity and speed of service improvement potential
• Changes to the end-of-day procedure has increased access to seeking medical assistance for young people
• Changes in health literacy and relationships with WMH staff and residents has resulted in improved efficiency and reduced down-time
• Increased doctor’s clinic hours