Monkey Wellbeing website review

Monkey Wellbeing website review

https://www.monkeywellbeing.com 

The Department of Health has been striving to include the views of service users within the NHS. They have generated several key guidance documents which identify the need to engage with and listen to the perspectives of service users (DH 2000; 2003; 2004; 2010; 2012).  From the perspective of the NHS, service user engagement is central to the United Kingdom (UK) healthcare modernisation agenda in which there is an emphasis on involving service users and carers in all aspects of healthcare, from commissioning of services and service design to contributing to research agendas. This involvement is grounded in a desire to make healthcare more responsive to the needs of the patient and enhance the quality of care and treatments.  Whilst the guiding principles of the UNCRC (1989) are explicit, the extent of service user and carers involvement across the range of healthcare provision remains patchy; (Atkinson, 2013). 

Information is a pre-re quisite for making decisions in all areas of the child’s life (Long and Liversley 2013).  Written information specifically for children and young people is often a neglected area. The UNCRC, Article 17 provides clarity that children have the right to information about their health through mass-media and children’s literature. The health media, in general, is however, aimed mainly at adults.  Finding information appropriate to the child’s age and stage of development can pose a challenge for parents and health care workers.  There are general publications which can be accessed from book suppliers and libraries to prepare children for hospital admission.  

The existence of such have great value to parents and health care workers looking for supportive resources, however, locating these can pose a challenge

Monkey wellbeing was developed by a teacher, whose own child received healthcare, and saw the potential for developing a growing range of resources for children.  Monkey wellbeing provides information for children in the areas of health and education.  Navigation around the website and resources is clearly signposted.  These resources can be used as a part of a lesson in school and also to raise awareness of the potential health care experiences for children.  Children are able to follow the experiences of monkey and can also gain an understanding of their own situation.  

From a sociological perspective, there are a number of organisations striving to ensure that there is an open approach where the voices of children and young people are listened to, beyond the purpose of consultation and where there are opportunities for participation which is age appropriate (Save the Children, 2005; Action for Children, 2009; National Children’s Bureau 2012).  

Whilst the overarching mechanisms are in place to acknowledge the participation of children in research and consultation, there is a dearth of media for children and young people to access.  How can children and young people be expected to participate in research or consultation about their healthcare, health environments and service user experiences when there is lack of clarity regarding what the reality of their experiences will be?  Monkey Wellbeing contains free resources and resources for purchase.  Collaboration between health and education can potentially improve the media that children and young people have access to.  There also DVD clips available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/MonkeysMission).  

References

Action for Children, 2009.  The Right Choice, involving children and young people in recruitment and selection, Action for Children, London

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Atinkson, M, 2013.  Foreward by the Children’s Commissioner, in Blades, R.,et al., We would like to make a change, Office of the Children’s Commisioner, London.

Department of Health, 2012. NHS Constitution 

Department of Health, 2012. Beyond Consultation: a guide for health commissioners.  How staff and service users can work together to improve health services,

 

Department of Health, 2010. Public & patient experience and engagement: Real Involvement for SHAs: Working with people to improve health and health services.

Department of Health, 2004. Patient and Public Involvement in Health: The evidence for policy implementation, a summary of the results of health in partnership research programme, London: Department of Health.

Department of Health, 2004.  Core Document, National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, London: Department of Health

Department of Health, 2003. Listening, Hearing and Responding: Department of Health Involving Children and Young People, London: Department of Health.

Department of Health 2012.Liberating the NHS: No Decision About Me, Without Me. The Stationery Office, London.

Department of Health 2010. Liberating the NHS: Greater Choice and Control. A Consultation on Proposals. The Stationery Office, London.

Department of Health 2010. Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. The Stationery Office, London.

Dunford (2010) Review of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (England), Department of Education. London

National Children’s Bureau, 2012.  Young Children’s voices network, Listening as a way of life, London

Save the Children 2005. DIY guide to improving your community, getting children and young people involved. Edinburgh

United Nations, 1989. Convention on the rights of the child. [Online]. Available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm [Accessed 2nd March, 2011]. 

UNICEF, 2014. Rights Respecting Schools, http://www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa Last accessed 27th October, 2014