Accessibility strategies are useless if they fail the very people who need them

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Despite asking numerous consultants, charge nurses and ward admission points, not one person knew anything about their own autism accessibility strategy (PA)

Unless accessibility strategies filter down to the people who need them, they are useless.

Having recently received care within the NHS trust (who did an excellent job in terms of providing the necessary acute, emergency care) I saw firsthand how large banners hung across the hospital foyer proudly demonstrated their commitment to accessibility. Furthermore, their website displays a clear statement detailing their autism strategy, accompanied by a dedicated team of staff to deliver specialist autism support to those in need.

However, trying to access the Trust’s support for autistic people was impossible from my position as patient. Despite asking numerous consultants, charge nurses and ward admission points, not one person knew anything about their own autism accessibility strategy. I was left in intolerable, sensory distress, which has created a level of trauma for me that the medical interventions did not.