§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will recognise teenagers as a separate category for the delivery of health services. [109412]
§ Jacqui SmithWe recognise that teenagers have particular needs, as far as their health and wellbeing are concerned, that differ from those of younger children or adults. Furthermore, they have different educational and social needs that should also be considered in the design and delivery of health services.
On 10 April 2003, we published the first part of Getting the right start: the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services, covering the standard for hospital services. Throughout the NSF, the particular needs of different age groups, including teenagers, will be addressed, as will periods of transition between different stages of childhood from pre-birth to adolescence and subsequently into adulthood. The hospital standard recommends that the needs of adolescents are given careful consideration in hospital, such as their need for privacy. We have consulted widely with teenagers, as well as younger children and parents, during the development of the NSF.