Accessing Care for Young People Aged 13 to 16
Are you aged 13 or over and do you have your own mobile phone number? Please check with reception to make sure we have your current mobile number recorded on our system.
At St.Katharine Docks Practice, we are committed to providing safe, confidential and supportive healthcare for young people.
Many young people prefer to attend appointments with a parent, guardian or another trusted adult, and we welcome this. However, there may be times when a young person wishes to speak to a healthcare professional on their own. We recognise that as young people become more independent, they may seek advice about their health in confidence.
Where a young person is able to understand the information relevant to their care and make informed decisions, we will usually respect their right to confidential healthcare. The only exceptions are where we are concerned about their safety, the safety of another person, or where the law requires information to be shared.
If you would like to speak to a doctor, nurse or another member of the practice team without a parent or guardian present, please let us know and we will do our best to support you.
Online Access to Your Health Record
Young people aged 13 and over may be able to access online GP services and parts of their health record through the NHS App and other approved online services.
Access may include:
- Viewing parts of your GP record
- Ordering repeat prescriptions (where appropriate)
- Viewing appointments
- Accessing test results where available
Access is provided in line with national NHS guidance and may be subject to identity verification and an assessment by the practice where required.
Young People's Rights in Healthcare
The following information summarises key principles from the General Medical Council (GMC) guidance on caring for children and young people. The full guidance is available from the GMC website Protecting children and young people: The responsibilities of all doctors - professional standards - GMC
Seeing a Healthcare Professional Independently
Young people have the right to seek medical advice and support on their own if they wish.
Healthcare professionals should make it clear that young people can access healthcare services independently and can speak privately with a clinician when appropriate.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an important part of healthcare for everyone, including children and young people.
If young people do not feel confident that their information will be kept private, they may be less likely to seek medical advice or discuss important health concerns.
We will normally keep information confidential unless:
- You agree that it can be shared.
- There is a concern about your safety or wellbeing.
- There is a concern about the safety of another person.
- We are required to disclose information by law.
Where possible, we will explain if information needs to be shared and who it will be shared with.
Access to Medical Records
Young people who are able to understand and make decisions about their healthcare have the right to access their own medical records.
They can also decide whether other people, including parents or guardians, can access their records.
Parents or guardians may be allowed access to a young person's records when:
- The young person gives consent; or
- The young person is not able to make decisions for themselves, and access is considered to be in their best interests.
Information provided confidentially by a young person will not normally be shared without their permission unless there is a safeguarding or legal reason to do so.<
Parent and Guardian Access to Online Records
Parents and guardians can request proxy access to a child's online GP services.
As children mature, access arrangements are reviewed to ensure they remain appropriate.
For young people aged 11 and over, decisions about parent or guardian access are based on:
- The young person's ability to understand and make decisions about their healthcare
- The young person's wishes and consent
- Their best interests
- Any safeguarding considerations
Proxy access may be continued, modified, restricted or removed following an individual assessment by the practice.
Our aim is to balance a young person's right to privacy with the support they may need from parents, guardians or carers.
Additional Support and Information
The following services provide information, advice and support for young people in Tower Hamlets:
- Youth rights in healthcare (Easy Read guide)
- Sexual health services
- Substance misuse support
- Mental health crisis support
- Docklands Outreach
- Kooth online counselling service
- ChatHealth school nursing text service
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss any of the information on this page, please email us at:
nelondonicb.skd@nhs.net
Please do not use this email address for medical queries or urgent healthcare concerns. For medical issues, please use our eConsult service or contact the practice directly.
Health Spot
Health Spot is a free GP service for young people in Tower Hamlets, providing confidential health advice and support.