Information for young people

When you are in hospital or at an appointment, the doctor or therapist you are seeing will usually ask questions and write some notes about you and your health. This information is used to help plan your care and is kept in a safe place.

Click on the below fact sheets to find out more about how your health information is used and your rights as a young person.

• Being in charge of your healthcare (easy read)
• Your rights in accessing healthcare
• We keep it zipped

The ACI Transition Care Network is a great place for young people with chronic health conditions to find information about moving from child to adult services (sometimes called transitioning). The network has a website full of information and runs a Transition Care Service that can help you, your parents/carers and healthcare team with transition planning.

For ideas on things you can do in each stage of transition, click on the fact sheets below.

• Stages of transition
• Transition: getting ready to move to adult health services

For more fact sheets and websites to help with your transition to adult services, click here: Transition care fact sheets and information | Agency for Clinical Innovation

Do you find yourself worrying a lot? This is normal when you are unwell or facing new or ongoing treatments. It can be helpful to talk to someone you trust (a friend, nurse, care worker, doctor, or family member,) about how you are feeling. There are also some useful ways to learn to manage these feelings, so they are a smaller part of your day.

For ideas, tools and support managing your worries, click on the links below:

• Tools and Apps | ReachOut Australia
• Smiling Mind: meditation and mindfulness app
• Why am I anxious? | Why do people get anxiety? | Kids Helpline
• I'm a young person - Wellbeing | headspace

For a list of helpful contact numbers and websites for mental health support. See the Beyond Blue website.

Livewire is an online community linked to the Starlight Foundation. It is designed for young people aged 12 and older who live with an illness or disability and their siblings.

Through Livewire you can make friends through the chatroom, or join in with livestreaming, gaming, competitions and more. You can use it on your phone, tablet or computer, in hospital or at home. For a short video about Livewire, click here.

For more information or to sign up, click here.

If your family is visiting John Hunter Children’s Hospital, there are a few places that you should know about:

• The Starlight Express Room
• The Ronald McDonald Family Room
• The Fairy Garden
• The Book Nook

You can use these places to take a break and have some fun outside of the hospital wards and waiting rooms.

For a video tour of these areas click here.

The Youth Drug and Alcohol Service

• If you or someone you know needs help with drug or alcohol use, the Youth Drug and Alcohol Clinical Service (YDACS) is a voluntary service that can help.
• For more information, click here: Youth Drug and Alcohol Service

Nicotine replacement therapy in hospital

• If you are a young person who smokes and you are staying in hospital, please let your healthcare team know. If it is appropriate, you may be offered free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help with cravings or withdrawal symptoms.
• For more information, click here: Services to help you quit