Open 2 Autism

East Cheshire NHS Trust’s Open 2 Autism project aims to support people with an autism spectrum condition, both as a health care provider and as an employer.

To do this we aim to improve our staff’s understanding of autism so that we can be more flexible about our routine practices particularly when an individual with autism finds flexibility difficult.

Basic autism awareness training has been delivered to clinical staff and now all staff have access to a newly developed e-learning programme. We have also developed a number of staff in key areas across the trust who have had additional training in autism spectrum conditions. These staff members are known as Autism Links.

Autism Accreditation

MDGH has become the first hospital in the country to have key wards, including A&E, awarded Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society. The prestigious status is awarded by the National Autistic Society to organisations where staff have a good working knowledge of methods and approaches which produce positive outcomes for autistic people. The accreditation, which the hospital has been working towards since 2014, follows a number of other autism-related awards for the hospital and shows that support for autistic people and their families and carers is effective and person-centred. For more details about the accreditation please click here.

The trust was first recognised for its work in this area in 2014, when Macclesfield Hospital became the first ever hospital to be awarded the National Autistic Society's Autism Access Award.

In 2016, the trust retained the Access Award for Macclesfield Hospital and also won the National Autistic Society’s Professionals Award for Outstanding Health Services.

Coming to hospital:

If you are coming into hospital and have an autism spectrum condition (or support someone who does) you can:

Use the email helpline to let us know your needs ecn-tr.autism@nhs.net Messages will be checked on a regular basis.
Contact an autism link practitioner from the area you will be visiting to tell us how we can help support your visit. We will be able to answer any questions you may have. Please include your name, date of birth, visit/admission date and the area you are coming to. Then tell us what things might be difficult for you and what we can do to support you.

Download contact details for our autism link practitioners here.

Patient Photo Journey

The link above and its content is intended to provide patients with learning disabilities, and their families, with specific information around our hospital services in an easy to read format. You may also may find these useful if you have autism or support someone who has autism.

Transition

More information about transition is available on the transition page.

Patient/Carer Stories - their journey

Requesting a Carers Needs Assessment

Please click here for information about Carer Needs Assessments for those who care for adults. For information about all aspects of social care and support, please see the Information and Advice Cheshire East webpage on the Cheshire East website which covers all aspects of social care and support: http://www.ceias.cheshireeast.gov.uk/home.aspx