Bridging the Gaps: Health Care for Adolescents

Bridging the Gaps: Health Care for Adolescents arose out of an Intercollegiate Working Party on Adolescent Health, led by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, together with seven other colleagues including the Royal College of Psychiatrists. This report cogently argues the case for a clear focus by government, policy makers, practitioners and NHS Services on adolescent health care. It offers an overview of the healthcare of adolescents in the UK at the start of the 21st century and points to the many current health (including mental health) needs of this important age band, who are in transition and make up 13-15% of the population in developed countries.

Covering the size and nature of young people's major health needs, service development and the concept of adolescent healthcare as a speciality, there follows a series of important recommendations for promoting better health across primary care, school health services and young people in special circumstances. The report goes on to cover secondary care in accident and emergency situations, out-patient care and transition, and in-patient healthcare.

In the context of major developments in services for children and adolescents, this report recognises very clearly the rights of young people who are making the transition to adult autonomy.

The task set to us all is large, but the recognition of the needs of this group, the importance of their views and their perspective on what services they need, together with recommendations for training that stress the imperative of a developmental understanding of adolescence, are very much to be welcomed. Communicating with and listening to adolescents are key to this report. A valuable read, and no doubt with the current pace and nature of change within the NHS and Society, it is a Council Report we will be revisiting sooner rather than later, with even more emphasis on the importance of mental health and emotional well-being.