Under 16s & Teenagers Information

Click here to access your local school health team: Kent Youth Health

Turning 16? What you need to know about your Doctor’s Surgery

Something you may still wish to discuss with your parent or guardian is giving consent for treatment. A lot depends on the seriousness or difficulty of the proposed treatment. Health care professionals would encourage you to include your parent or guardian in any decision making process, however, they will always try to respect your wishes if you do not wish anyone else to be involved.

You may not be aware, but once you turn 16 you will have to start paying for your prescriptions, unless you are in full-time education, pregnant or receiving benefits. Please look at our website for prescriptions advice and how to register to order repeat medications online.

We offer a full range of sexual health services and all contraception including implants. If you need advice or have any questions, please contact the Surgery and book an appointment with a Nurse or Doctor.

You may not be aware but when you turn 16 you become responsible for your own healthcare decisions. We hope that this information will be informative and helpful to both you and your parent or guardian.

The Vine Medical Centre provides a confidential service to all our patients including under 16’s. You can contact a Nurse or Doctor for advice and specifically request an appointment with a Male or Female clinician.

Confidentiality means that your consultation and visits to the surgery will not be discussed with anyone apart from you. The only time that information may be shared without consent is when you could be considered a danger to yourself or others.

If you have given proxy access to your parent or guardian to discuss your health, then this will be revoked once you turn 16. If you have been sharing a mobile phone number or email address with a parent or guardian, then those details will be removed from your medical record once you turn 16 and will then be replaced with your own contact details.

It is very important that we hold up to date contact details. Please ensure that we have your correct telephone numbers (home and mobile) and have a personal email address for you.

You may be interested in registering for Patient Access, which will enable you to book appointments online, re-order repeat medication and view parts of your medical records. You may wish to check whether your parents have already registered for this on your behalf.

If you have always had someone order your medication for you, you can still allow this to happen by giving us written consent to allow your parent/guardian to make contact on your behalf with any queries about your medication or health. Your consent can be restricted to just ordering medications only if you choose or they can have access to your health information just as before you turned 16.

YOU'RE WELCOME - TEEN ADVICE

Did You Know?

• At 13 years of age you can make an appointment at the surgery and see a doctor or nurse in confidence to discuss any problems or to ask advice
• You do not have to tell the receptionist what the appointment is for
• The information given to the doctor or nurse is confidential and cannot be disclosed without your consent
• Condoms can be given to teenagers; ask the surgery for advice
• The surgery provide contraceptive advice, including the 'morning after pill'
• The surgery team are here to listen to you. They do not tell you what to do, they assist you to get better if you are ill and explain clearly anything that concerns you.

Eating

The saying 'are you getting enough?' goes for eating too. A good diet is very important, especially breakfast.

Personal Hygiene

As you mature your body goes through changes and keeping clean and healthy are vitally important. Washing your body, wearing clean underwear every day and cleaning your teeth are just a small, but important part of your personal welfare.

Smoking And Alcohol

If you are under 18 it is illegal for you to purchase cigarettes and smoke cigarettes. If you purchase cigarettes for a minor it is also against the law. If you are under 18, it is against the law to purchase alcohol. It is also illegal for someone over 18 to buy alcohol for someone under 18.

Drugs - Just Say No!

Seven important terms - do you know what they mean?

Overdose - this can happen when someone takes so much of a drug that their body cannot cope with it.

Stimulants - drugs like Ecstasy, Speed and Cocaine affect people by speeding up their bodies, making them energetic and excited; commonly known as uppers.

Addiction - when a person becomes dependent on a drug and needs it to get by from day to day.

Tolerance - the body has got used to the drug so it does not give the same effect anymore.

Hallucinogens - drugs like LSD (acid) and magic mushrooms make people hallucinate they see and hear things which are not there. These types of drugs are called trips.

Depressants - drugs like heroin and tranquillisers slow the body down, making it feel drowsy and relaxed. These drugs are known as downers.

Withdrawal - the bad feeling someone gets when they stop using certain drugs which they have been dependent on for a long time.

Talking To FRANK

FRANK is available to speak to 24 hours a day.

Your call will be completely confidential. You can ring free from a landline on 0800 776600; it will not show up on the telephone bill.

Or log onto www.talktofrank.com. This website is for anyone who wants to know anything about drugs.