Re-Imagining Health Service Experiences in Autism

As health services evolve in response to challenges of the pandemic, we ask how these services are supporting the needs of autistic service users and their families and how they could be developed and improved further. We welcome you to reflect, examine and learn with us from our experiences during Covid-19. Sharing knowledge, ideas and concerns about what works and how challenges are being addressed helps us all to think about how health services might work better for autistic children and young people, and perhaps for everyone.

What have you found difficult? What has worked better? What new practices have emerged? What learning can we take from this? How are all these plans and strategies developing?

We want to hear from you.

The event will begin with short video presentations from our panel members followed by the chance for you to have your say in small group discussions and a plenary session. You will receive the link to the Zoom event the day before via email.

Part 1

1. Time for Autism – Steph Daley from Brighton & Sussex Medical School describes the pioneering new training programme for doctors

2. A Parent Perspective – Samantha Holt talks about her experiences of healthcare with her daughter

3. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training for learning disability and autism – Paula McGowan explains this new NHS-wide training programme

Part 2

1. Dental care and autism – Jennifer Parry, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry for the Special Care Dental Service at Haywards Heath Health Centre presents new developments in virtual tours of the dentist's surgery

2. Health experiences and challenges - Ian Male and Will Farr from Sussex Community Foundation Trust present their take on the future of healthcare and autism

3. Nicola Yuill, ACoRNS and Children & Technology Lab, University of Sussex, briefly presents this new project with @ACoRNSoton, Our Stories, on using technology to support autistic children and young people in healthcare and education

ACoRNS Sussex website: https://www.acorns-sussex.org.uk/

Twitter: @acornsussex