YOUNGSTERS from a York primary school had the chance to 'takeover' parts of York Hospital for a day.

Pupils from Westfield Primary Community School, in Acomb, spent the day at the hospital as part of the Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Challenge.

They got to experience what it is like to be in a real work environment and take on important responsibilities.

The children also had the opportunity to ask questions about how decisions are made and understand the affect these decisions can have on young patients.

The 30 youngsters took part in many activities, including an inspection of the Children’s Ward in order to feedback how the trust can make the environment better for young patients.

In addition, they learnt about different therapy techniques which included lessons on sign language and anatomy, discovered more about healthier eating from the hospital dieticians and took a behind the scenes visit to A&E.

Vicky Mulvana-Tuohy, children's therapy manager at the Trust, said: "Giving children a voice and seeing everything through the eyes of a child is really important in helping us to make improvements.

"The Takeover Challenge has been hugely successful and an exciting engagement project which, for the first time, saw the Trust opening its doors to young people to allow them to take over adult roles.

"The children have brought so many fresh ideas, imagination and energy to the areas they visited, the Trust will certainly benefit from their fresh perspective. All the staff were delighted to have met each and every child, they were a pleasure and a credit to their school."

All the children received a hospital lunch, and they were joined by the Trust’s chief executive, Patrick Crowley. During lunch they had free rein to ask Patrick questions.