WIREDGOV

Young people are growing up in a world where screens and social media are the norm, and the reality is that it’s reshaping how they experience health and care. Yet despite being surrounded by technology, the digital tools designed to support young people’s health often don’t fit their needs. We wanted to tap into the opinions of young people. How can health services make digital care easier to use, more engaging, and genuinely responsive to young people’s lives? 

This November, The King’s Fund and Barnardo’s will explore this new landscape at their joint conference, focused on the government’s ambitious goal: to raise the healthiest generation in our history. One session ‘The digital generation: what good care looks like for children and young people as digital natives’ will dive into the challenges and opportunities of supporting young people who have grown up online. 

Ahead of the event, we spoke with Moyosola and Esther from the Barnardo’s Youth Forum to hear firsthand how young people navigate health in a digital world and what truly effective, meaningful care looks like to them. 

Do you feel adults or health professionals understand how young people use technology? 

Moyosola: I think in most cases health professionals and adults have an OK understanding of how young people use technology – for example, they know which social media apps are popular and that technology has both positive and negative impacts on mental health. 

Where I believe the gap lies is in how young people want to be engaged with online. It’s one thing to know that young people are on Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat but it’s another to understand the tone and style that makes content resonate with them. 

I think services are eager to create websites, apps or digital campaigns for young people but not designed by young people. Sometimes the result is content and information that may be on the right platforms technically but doesn’t feel natural or relatable to young people. 

It’s not just about being where young people are online; it’s about engaging with them in ways that reflect their voices, their humour and their lived experience. Without that, the best-intentioned tools risk being ignored. 

Esther: A lot of adults overestimate how ‘tech-savvy’ young people are at times! I think this comes from the idea that because we typically use our phones every day, we automatically know how to navigate every kind of digital tool. But health apps or online services can be very different – they can be complicated, use medical language, or feel overwhelming without some guidance. When adults slow down, explain clearly and check in, rather than assume the level of understanding young people have, it makes the technology feel more accessible and supportive instead of like another barrier. 

How do you use digital when it comes to health care? 

Moyosola: Personally, I’ve found it really difficult to book doctor’s appointments. I was told to use the NHS app, but whenever I tried, it always said there were no slots available. When I phoned instead, I was told I’d called at the wrong time and that I had to call within certain hours, which often clashed with school. Even when I did manage to call at the right time, because of my main health issue, I was told I could only book an appointment while I was actually experiencing the symptoms. But sometimes I’m too unwell to even make the call. 

It feels like there isn’t a straightforward way of booking the care I need. I wish technology could make the process simpler, so that young people don’t fall through the cracks just because the systems don’t fit around our lives. 

Esther: I use digital health tools to book my doctors’ appointments as well as keep track of repeat prescriptions and notes my doctors make, as I move back and forwards to and from university, so this ensures all my doctors can follow along quite easily (such as with reactions to certain medications). Involving young people in shaping the design of digital tools could help make these tools more engaging, reduce barriers to access, and build trust in digital health care for the future. 

If you could design a digital health tool for young people, what features would you include and why? 

Moyosola: I would implement an easy booking system, so there’d be no complicated logins or limited time frames for calling. You should be able to book appointments quickly, at any time, with clear information about availability. Maybe also a logging system – for example, if you experience any health issues like migraines every few months, you don’t need to wait until the exact moment you’re unwell to explain. You could track it in the app and share that record with your GP or specialist. 

Esther: I’d include simplified language with bite-sized information and infographics, removing all the medical jargon so it feels more accessible. My dream app would basically be a simplified version of the NHS App, but with a health dashboard where you can track different things that affect your wellbeing like sleep, mood, physical activity, and nutrition. Having everything clear and in one place might make it easier for young people to understand their health and feel in control of it. Currently, you can get separate apps for these features, but it would be nice to have one ‘universal' app. 

What advice would you give to health care providers or developers when it comes to creating digital tools that really meet young people’s needs? 

Moyosola: Don't be afraid to get feedback and continuous check ins from young people. There will always be room for improvement, and what young people want and need is constantly changing so we should have systems that are constantly changing with us. 

Esther: I think it’s important not to assume that all young people are automatically ‘digitally literate’, because while some are confident, others might find certain tools confusing or overwhelming. Taking the time to explain, simplify, and involve young people directly in the design process would make digital tools feel much more inclusive and genuinely useful. 

How should health care professionals or parents/caregivers talk to young people about digital tools or technology and your health? 

Moyosola: What we actually need is for them to ask first – for example, ‘What apps or tools do you already use when you’re worried about your health?’ or ‘What would make this easier for you?’ 

It’s also about tone. Young people don’t want to be lectured or given generic advice that doesn’t feel relevant. We’d rather be spoken to in a way that’s meaningful. 

Esther: I think the best way is for adults to approach it as a conversation rather than telling us what we should or shouldn’t do. It helps when they show genuine interest in how we already use technology and frame digital health tools as something that can support us rather than replace real in-person conversations about our health – something I’d say a lot of young people are interested in!