WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE BRANDON CENTRE

TESTIMONIALS

The administrative staff co-ordinating the Centre’s services routinely invite young people each week to complete a client satisfaction questionnaire. The questionnaire is semi-structured in order to allow young people the opportunity to express their views about the service they get from the Centre and any changes they would like us to make. Questions focus on the following areas:

• Young people’s opinion about the building, its size, space, suitability and ease of access and also their opinion about the waiting room;
• Their experience of their first contact with the Centre;
• Their experience of the help they receive from the doctor, nurse or therapist they see;
• Their view of how the Centre can be improved and what they think is best about the Centre’s services;

They feel respected, cared for and well treated. They say that members of staff are helpful, considerate and easy to approach. Thirdly, the high level of interpersonal skills shown by members of staff towards young people appears to make a significant contribution to what they say they get from the Centre. For instance one young person that uses the contraceptive and sexual health service says that:

We also hold forums that are attended by young people that use the Centre's services. These meetings give us extremely useful additional insights into the way young people perceive the service. This year, for the first time, we invited young people to write about their experience of receiving help at the Centre. We were very encouraged by their response.

The responses in the following questionnaire completed by a young person who has been coming to the Centre for several years capture well the views of many young people that filled in a questionnaire:

Regarding the building she says:

‘I like the building; I prefer it to an NHS clinic. It feels much more comfortable.’

When describing her initial experience of the Centre she says:

‘I was young and scared when I first came to the Centre. I have stuck to this Centre because experiences with other sexual health clinics have been not as pleasant. I remember being dealt with by a very kind middle-aged nurse who made me feel comfortable and confident about my coming here.’

About the help she has received she says:

‘I like the help I receive here, and come here even after moving out of the area. I have also recommended it to friends as I know that visiting a clinic can sometimes be a very uncomfortable experience.’

She says the best things at the Brandon Centre are:

‘…The free advice and free contraception. Appointments are usually not too hard to make for when I am available. I have also had tests for infections in the past here, so whenever I need help, it’s not too much of a bother to get it.’

There are a number of other very touching testaments about the help that young people receive. For instance one young person receiving counselling says:

‘I wouldn’t choose any other place as this place is comfortable and my counsellor is very supportive, sensitive and patient and that is all I can ask for. The support, the patience, the sensitivity, the place has helped me a lot and has brought me a long way.’