More young voices are tuning into the healthcare conversation in 2026, after Metro South Health hosted its first Youth Health Forum on 6 June.
Launched by the MSH Youth Advisory Council at the Translational Research Institute (TRI), the forum invited young people (15-25) to collaborate with MSH executives and senior clinicians on building a more inclusive healthcare system for youth.
"The aim was to encourage more young people to get involved in the consumer partnering program. We knew we needed to hear the voices of more young people, and so the Forum development began," explained Project Support Officer (Youth), Beau Wharton.
Attendees representing a diversity of backgrounds participated, sharing valuable insights and lived experience from across the Metro South region.
"Designed for and by young people, the Youth Health Forum is a way for youth to connect with clinicians and executive staff as they collaborate on improving healthcare outcomes for young Queenslanders," Beau said.
MSH Board Chair Carmel Monaghan, Chief Executive Noelle Cridland, Clinical Director CYMHS Dr Sean Hatherill, PAH Executive Director Gillian Campbell, and leading Queensland paediatrician Dr Henry Goldstein were on hand to facilitate the sessions.
Attendees heard more about the Council and its achievements from Carmel and several Council members, before participating in a panel discussion on the challenges of transitioning from the paediatric to the adult healthcare system. An interactive workshop followed, introducing a co-design approach to creating more youth-friendly hospital spaces.
"This session explored the priorities of young people in hospital waiting rooms, as well as how to make those spaces calmer, friendlier, more inviting, and easier to navigate," Beau explained.
The final workshop invited participants to roleplay youth trying to access mental health care services and explored the challenges each young person might face per their lived experience.
By establishing an interactive and engaging platform for young voices to be heard, the event marks a pivotal step forward in creating a co-designed, youth-informed healthcare system for people on the road to young adulthood.
"This forum is a huge milestone for MSH. As the Youth Advisory Council is the first of its kind at MSH, being able to welcome so many young people and so many vital staff into the same room—a room where young people are the subject matter experts—to meaningfully collaborate on ways we can improve healthcare outcomes will no doubt have a profound impact on how MSH evolves to care for and include young people in the future."
The successful event launch sets a promising precedent for future workshops, as Beau and the Youth Engagement Team look forward to growing the program and its impact across the region.
"The success of this inaugural forum paves the way for MSH to expand the forum's scope in the years to come," Beau said.
"Over the coming months and years, the Youth Advisory Council will be participating in projects MSH-wide to provide a youth perspective. The vision is that young consumers will be involved in decision making across MSH at all levels, giving a voice to a large and often underrepresented portion of our population."
Beau says the success of the forum is owed to the dedication of the Council members in partnership with executive and clinical stakeholders.
"The Inaugural forum was a success thanks to the dedication of the Youth Advisory Council, especially the Forum co-leads Hanna and Liam, who worked to ensure that every step of the way, youth voices were at the helm. We're so excited to continue developing the Youth Advisory Program in the future."
Special thanks to all who participated and contributed to the day, including event partners: Donate Life, Multicultural Australia, The University of Queensland, The Translational Research Institute (TRI), MSH Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS), QLD Health Child Safe Organisations, Brisbane South Primary Health Network, the PA Foundation, and Executive sponsor, Kellie Stockton.
Read more about the Youth Advisory Council.