🗣️ Youth Feedback Influences New Rouse Hill Hospital Design

The voices of local young people are actively shaping the future of the new Rouse Hill Hospital, with their valuable feedback being integrated into the planning and design phases. A dedicated collaboration between the Rouse Hill Hospital project team and the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Youth Council is ensuring that the health needs and perspectives of adolescents and young adults are central to the development of this crucial community facility.

The WSLHD Youth Council, comprised of individuals aged between 16 and 24, provides essential consumer input across various projects. For the Rouse Hill Hospital, their insights are illuminating key health needs and considerations relevant to younger demographics. Areas such as inclusivity across diverse age groups and cultural backgrounds, youth mental health support, social needs, patient confidentiality, and cultural safety have been highlighted.

The council's input extends to practical considerations like traffic and transport accessibility, as well as internal and external architectural design and wayfinding within the hospital complex. "Feeling culturally safe is such an important determiner for young people accessing health services," stated Sarah Young, convenor of the WSLHD Youth Council. "Being able to advise the new hospital executives on what culturally safe means to adolescents and young people is invaluable."

Julia Underwood, General Manager of Rouse Hill Hospital, emphasised the importance of this feedback. "We heard that privacy is a key concern for adolescents and young people. They need to feel that their health information is confidential and that they will be respected and helped to navigate the health system through a 'one-stop shop' approach where there is 'no wrong door'," she explained. The hospital team plans to continue working closely with the youth council throughout the planning stages to ensure the youth perspective remains a priority.