07.11.2024

Health Spot: 100% of young people who use this GP service in London, recommend it.

Health Spot, is our pioneering and free GP service for young people only.

Health Spot was created in response to the pressing health concerns faced by Tower Hamlet’s youth. The new service was designed in consultation with young people at every stage. Their valuable feedback highlighted the challenges that young people encounter in navigating existing health services, often resulting in unmet health needs and a lack of awareness about their health rights.

Since it began, Health Spot has achieved remarkable success in addressing these challenges. Evidence of Health Spot’s impact can be seen in the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the young people it serves in East London. In recent surveys,

• 100% said conversations felt confidential
• 100% felt that Health Spot provided a safe space
• 100% said that they would highly recommend the service to their friends.

“Before Health Spot I didn’t really speak to GP’s because it was hard to get an appointment and hard to understand them. At Spotlight my youth worker Treaser helps me in the appointment by booking and helping me explain my problem. She also helps me after the appointment which I find useful.”

Dr Kenny Sui, Dr Helen Hones, Khadija Begum (Youth Support Manager) , Treaser Jassal (Youth Get Supported Lead)

Health Spot is based in the youth service Spotlight and operates at 2 locations in Tower Hamlets each week. Spotlight’s Youth workers have played a vital role in building trust and familiarity with the service by guiding young people every step of the way. For those feeling nervous, youth workers can even accompany them to their appointments. Providing reassurance and support.

“It was a safe space as my youth worker was there, if they were not there, I would have been a bit scared if I was alone.”

Health Spot welcomes everyone between the ages of 11 and 19, and extends its services to people up to the age of 25 years who have an Additional need, Disability or Refugee status. The comprehensive nature of Health Spot ensures that unmet health needs are addressed. Including physical and mental well-being concerns such as mental health, sexual health, drug or alcohol misuse, speech and language therapy or any other issues that may be troubling young people.

Open all year round at two locations in Tower Hamlets, London every Tuesday and Thursday, Health Spot has become an essential part of the youth offer in East London. It complements Spotlight’s existing free youth programmes like Get Active, Get Inspired, and Get Creative. Empowering young people to identify and participate in programmes that improve their physical and mental wellbeing, resilience, and improve pillars of support in their lives such as making friends and having a safe place to go.

Health Spot’s GP’s Dr Helen Jones and Dr Kenny Sui have become recognisable and friendly faces in the community who provide outstanding support and consistent healthcare to the lives of young people in Tower Hamlets.

“Helen and Kenny are the best GP’s I have spoken to because they help me with personal things and my health. Having them at Spotlight is good for me because I am here every day and I have a good relationship with them.”

Dr Helen Jones, Dr Kenny Sui and Dr Jo-Ann Sheldon were delighted to share their experience in delivering the service on a panel at Health Spot’s Third Birthday Celebration event on the 25^th of April at Spotlight in 2023. Attended by several dozen influential and key professionals in health care.

“Spotlight and Health Spot GPs have made an incredible difference in my life. My brother and I now have sheltered accommodation, and our stress and anxiety have vanished. I am much happier now. Health Spot was genuinely helpful, and the GP instilled me with tremendous confidence. I am immensely grateful to everyone involved. Thank you so much.”

As Health Spot marks its anniversary, its pioneering approach signals in a promising future in shaping NHS healthcare for young people, and has incredible potential to expand within London, and nationwide.  Health Spot helps young people who might otherwise fall through the gaps and can sometimes put increased strain on the NHS when unmet physical and mental health needs become a crisis, emergency or complex medical condition.

Health Spot is in collaboration between Spotlight and:

Tower Hamlet’s GP Care Group,

Along with partners:

• Docklands Outreach
• Safe East
• Queen Mary University Clinical Effectiveness Group
• SALT (Speech and Language Therapy)
• Young Barts Health

All working hard together – to ensure that Health Spot is a beacon of hope for youth in East London.

Accepting new patients:

Health Spot