"On a journey to being more inclusive and able to meet the needs of autistic people"

Who is this website for?

Welcome to the official site showcasing the outputs and findings from my AHP Careers Fellowship 2024-25. This website is designed for anyone interested in learning about the fellowship and the key lessons I’ve learned throughout the process.

Here, you can explore insights into co-creation, discover details about my collaborative project with NHS Fife's Mental Health Occupational Therapy service, and access recommendations for how other services can implement similar initiatives in their own areas.

Whether you're a healthcare professional, researcher, or simply someone interested in the impact of Allied Health Professional (AHP) initiatives, this site offers valuable takeaways for applying innovative approaches in your own work.

'Autism Informed Services' e-book

As part of the Scottish Government's 'Towards Transormation Plan' in 2021, Inspiring Scotland facilitated work that involved people with learning disabilities and autistic people helping shape policy development via coproduction. Most of the activity took place between 2021 - 2024 and the work is now being shared.

A key output is the interactive 'Autism Informed Services' e-book. This national resource is intended to be an informed level professional learning resource for all NHS professionals working in adult services or with adults. This includes mental health services.

Autism is not a mental health condition in itself, but mental health issues are common due to being autistic in a society designed for the non-autistic majority and lack of acceptance, understanding and right type of support.

It was clear from the research, consultation, and discussion that all people working in and with health services need to be better informed about the needs of autistic individuals. This includes but is wider than primary care and GP practices. The information from autistic people highlighted priority areas for improvement. One of these was the need for universally autism informed professionals within adult mental health services.

Autism Informed eBook

Key words to describe the eBook by Occupational Therapy staff within NHS Fife

Gives a direction for where to take your practice

Co-creator, NHS Fife

Thank you to:

22 co-creators within the Mental Health Occupational Therapy Service, NHS Fife, for participating in 3 focus groups across December 2024 - January 2025.
NHS Education for Scotland for funding the project as part of the AHP Careers Fellowship 2024-25.
Ursula Duff (Speech & Language Therapist) for being a project partner in NHS Lothian area.
Inspiring Scotland for supporting and encouraging this project.
Scottish Government for funding and supporting the development of the 'Autism Informed Services' eBook. Finally, for funding the print of my project poster in collaboration with Inclusion Scotland.

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