Students to get a say on health care issues and policy in Waterloo region and Guelph

Students in Waterloo region and Guelph are getting the chance to share their experiences and thoughts on health care, as part of a new committee for the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.

The Student Health Advisory Committee includes 14 students from the region's four post-secondary institutions.

Jenny Flagler George, the manager of patient experience for the Waterloo Wellington LHIN, said the initiative stems from the LHIN's patient and family advisory committee, first launched in 2017.

"As we continued with that committee, we really got a lot of value out of it, and along with that there was a growing awareness that the experiences of students, post-secondary and secondary, in Waterloo-Wellington are not necessarily the same as those who are not students," Flagler George said.

According to the LHIN, there are more than 85,000 students across the region. Flagler George said those students are at a unique time in their lives.

"This is when folks are away from home, so they're just starting to learn how to navigate the health system," she explained.

Flagler George said some issues the committee members have already brought up are mental health, how to handle the cold or flu in cramped quarters like a dorm, sexual health and knowing how to access other resources in the community.

Mental health one of the 'gaps' for students

Amanda Pereira, the chair of the committee, said most students tend to access health care through on-campus services.

Pereira, who is also a student in the health studies program at the University of Waterloo, said her school already does a pretty good job providing services and promoting wellness on campus.  

She hopes the committee will be able to paint a picture of health services across all campuses in the region and identify gaps for students.

"I think one of the big ones right now is the stigma around mental health," she said. "It's getting a lot better, but oftentimes students do feel alone in their struggles with coping with anxiety and depression."

Pereira said she also wants the committee to look at how technology could be used to make healthcare more accessible for students.

"Given that this community has such a high student population, I think it's really cool that the LHIN is taking the initiative to have a group like this, so that students can have a voice at the decision-making table."