Analogue to Digital: Rethinking the delivery of health information for young people

This report is focused on the shift from Analogue to Digital - one aspect of the NHS’s ‘Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’.

The NHS Young Researchers work alongside NHS England to voice young people’s priorities for healthcare services so that these can be embedded within national and local policies to ensure the best health outcomes for young people.

This year, the focus for the Young Researchers' projects were on the NHS 10-Year Health Plan produced by the Department for Health and Social Care. The plan looks at reforms to the NHS and wider existing community services to close the gaps and ease pressures that they are currently facing. There are three shifts as part of the plan: Hospital to Community, Sickness to Prevention, and Analogue to Digital. All Young Researchers were split into three groups to focus on one particular shift in the plan.

This document was created by children and young people. To ensure everyone can engage with it we are producing an accessible version which will be available shortly.

Executive summary

This report is focused on the shift from Analogue to Digital - one aspect of the NHS’s ‘Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’ - and uses data from a survey conducted on 13-25 year olds from across England, with questions around four key areas:

1. Sources and formats of health information used.
2. Trust in sources of health information and what would increase this.
3. Likelihood to follow advice from and actions taken based on sources of health information.
4. Factors influencing engagement with health influencers.

Key findings

Official NHS sources including the website and app were the most used and trusted, as well as healthcare professionals, and young people were most likely to follow health advice from these. Young people trusted health information more when it came from either a government/NHS source or a qualified individual, and were less skeptical of evidence-based media.

Most young people had taken action based on health information online. Examples of this included researching symptoms and lived experiences of conditions and seeking further medical advice; specifically, changes in diet and exercise and purchasing supplements.

Recommendations

Based on their research, the group developed the following key recommendations aimed at researchers, NHS advertising teams, NHS social media teams, and schools/curriculum developers:

Researchers

• Future research should involve larger, more diverse samples, including older age groups, greater male participation, and broader regional representation.

• Further studies should examine whether everyday social media use influences how and where young people seek and trust health information from.

• Research findings should be made more accessible and actively promoted, particularly studies addressing issues relevant to young people.

NHS advertising teams

• NHS public health campaigns should prioritise a strong and consistent social media presence, to reach young people’s who rely on these platforms for information.

NHS social media

• Health content aimed at young people should focus on platforms they already use, such as Instagram and TikTok, and engage with relevant trends while maintaining accuracy.

• NHS social media content should be authentic, evidence-based, and delivered by qualified or experienced individuals to build trust.

• Social media should be used to disseminate urgent public health information, as young people are less likely to access NHS websites.

Schools and curriculum developers

• Schools should regularly update online safety education to reflect current digital trends. Young people should be taught critical thinking skills to evaluate information sources, recognise misinformation, AI-generated content, and political bias.
• Education should also highlight reliable sources of information and how to access them.

Conclusion

Public health communication and education strategies should be adapted to align with young people’s use of the digital world.

Strengthening inclusive research practices, expanding the NHS’s credible presence on social media, and improving digital literacy education are essential steps to ensure young people can access, trust, and critically evaluate accurate health information online.

The NHS Young Researchers are 25 young people aged between 16 to 24, part of the wider NHS Youth Forum, who work alongside Barnardo's and NHS England to advocate for valuable participation and provide a voice for young people within healthcare services.

This year, the focus for the Young Researchers' projects were on the NHS 10-Year Health Plan produced by the Department for Health and Social Care. The plan looks at reforms to the NHS and wider existing community services to close the gaps and ease pressures that they are currently facing. There are three shifts as part of the plan: Hospital to Community, Sickness to Prevention, and Analogue to Digital. All Young Researchers were split into three groups to focus on one particular shift in the plan.