New lead at Hampshire Hospitals helping improve care for autistic patients
The number of people diagnosed with autism is rising, and so too is the number of people who identify as autistic but are waiting for, or choose not to seek, a formal diagnosis. With this growing community, there’s an increasing need to make sure local health services are inclusive, accessible and supportive for everyone.
Earlier this year, Hampshire Hospitals appointed Helen Toomer-Jones as its first All Age Autism Specialist Lead, a post made possible thanks to Hampshire Hospitals Charity and generous donations from the local community.
Helen Toomer-Jones
Helen’s role focuses on reviewing how the trust supports autistic patients of all ages, identifying where improvements can be made, and helping to reduce inequalities in healthcare access. Her work aims to raise awareness of autism and encourage staff to understand how systems and services can be adapted to better meet the needs of autistic people.
“I was diagnosed with autism myself in 2018,” Helen explains. “When I saw the role advertised, I felt my nursing experience and my personal understanding of autism could really help make a difference.”
In her first few weeks, Helen set about assessing what was already working well and where barriers might exist. “It’s always hard to know where to start in a brand-new role,” she says. “I began by finding out what our staff understood about autism. It’s something many people have heard about, but not everyone feels confident they know enough to provide the best care.”
Helen also looked at the experience of autistic patients using hospital services and began creating resources to help staff in their day-to-day work. “We’ve started with simple improvements, like making it easier for staff to find autism-related guidance and information on our internal systems,” she says.
The next stage of Helen’s work has focused on the patient journey through hospital departments. “Most people will see several different teams during their treatment,” she explains. “For autistic patients, it’s vital that everyone involved communicates effectively and that information is passed on. It can be stressful and frustrating to repeat yourself multiple times, especially for someone with autism, who may already find hospital environments challenging.”
Helen is also exploring how important information about a patient’s needs can be shared more effectively between departments. “Our systems don’t always ‘talk’ to each other,” she says. “We’re working to make sure autistic patients experience a smoother journey through hospital and that reasonable adjustments can be made at every stage.”
“Simple changes, like clearer communication or calmer environments, benefit all our patients, not just those with autism.””
Julie Dawes, Chief Nurse at Hampshire Hospitals and trustee at Hampshire Hospitals Charity said: “Helen’s role is an incredibly important step forward for our hospitals. By improving our understanding of autism and adapting the way we support autistic patients, we’re not only making care more accessible for them, but also improving the experience for everyone who comes through our doors. Simple changes, like clearer communication or calmer environments, benefit all our patients, not just those with autism.”
Over the next few months, Helen will be developing a new policy to support the care of autistic adults. She’ll also review current training and look into creating new learning resources to complement the national Oliver McGowan training programme.
Another key focus will be improving how the hospital works with community health and social care teams, particularly when autistic patients are ready to leave hospital. “We want to make sure people aren’t staying in hospital longer than necessary,” Helen says. “Good communication and planning make a big difference.”
Through her work, Helen hopes to help Hampshire Hospitals become a place where autistic patients feel understood, supported and truly heard.