Children buzz ‘Big Listen’ answers

Schoolchildren will use quiz show-style consoles to vote on health issues in just one of many PCT events during ‘Big Listen’ week.

Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT is holding a series of events for children and young people as part of the ‘Big Listen’ from Monday November 19 - Saturday November 24.

The campaign, co-ordinated by Rochdale MBC’s Children’s Empowerment Project, aims to help children and young people shape services. Last year, over 2,000 0-19 year olds were involved.

One of the initiatives will see PCT patient experience staff visiting schools and asking pupils questions about health care, using electronic consoles.

Nicola Crosby, Patient Experience Co-ordinator, explains: “It’s a great way to gather opinion from children, which is what the Big Listen is all about. It’s a bit like ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ – children are given multiple choice questions about things like going to the doctor’s, what they like and dislike.”

The team will ask what features they would like to see in new state-of-the-art health and social care centres being developed in the borough. Ms Crosby adds: “Many will go there with their parents so it is important that we take their views into account when designing new services.”

Other events taking place during the ‘Big Listen’ include a 'What would stop young people smoking?' workshop for Year 7 at Heywood Community High School, on Wednesday, 21 November.

Lisa Barker, Tobacco-free lead for the PCT, said: “We will be showing them anti-smoking campaign images and asking them which they think would stop young people starting to smoke. We will also be asking them for their ideas for messages, rather than just creating our own campaigns.”

Other PCT events will include a 'Fun with Fruit' session and Health Walk at Langley Children’s Centre.