Celebrating the Launch of Care Opinion Bear at the Royal Hospital for Children

Last month, the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow proudly unveiled its new Care Opinion Bear initiative with an eye-catching window display in the atrium, supported by colourful, child-friendly posters and postcards. These resources are designed to make it easier for children and young people to share their feedback through Care Opinion – ensuring their voices are heard, valued, and acted upon.

Listening to children and young people is central to delivering person-centred care. Care Opinion Bear makes giving feedback simple and engaging, helping us better understand what matters most to our patients and their families. Every story shared provides valuable insights that help us learn and continuously improve our services.

To mark the launch, we hosted an interactive stall in the atrium where patients and their families’ received postcards, stickers and Bear-themed colouring materials. Senior Charge Nurses Mhairi Stirrat and Suzanne Pearson were on hand to welcome families, answer questions and help distribute materials – creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The response was fantastic.

Jamie Redfern, Director of Women and Children’s Directorate, said:

“Patient feedback is at the heart of how we shape services in the Women and Children’s Directorate. Championing Care Opinion has given us a powerful strand of insight, and I am especially proud of the innovative use of Care Opinion Bear to ensure that even our youngest patients and their families have a voice. The early signs are encouraging, showing that age‑appropriate, patient‑centred approaches can truly make a difference. We are committed to building on this success and embedding feedback as a cornerstone of paediatric care in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.”

In November, following the launch, we recorded the highest number of Care Opinion stories for the Royal Hospital for Children to date. This achievement demonstrates the positive impact of the Care Opinion Bear.

A huge thank you to all staff who helped organise and support this event – your efforts are making a real difference in helping capture the voices of children and young people across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.