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Autism Acceptance Award
Hospital's gold autism acceptance award 'just the start'
North Tyneside General Hospital has been awarded the gold Autism Acceptance award for its commitment to delivering meaningful and lasting improvements towards accessibility and inclusion.
The team at North Tyneside Outpatients achieved the gold standard by working in collaboration with its in-house Neurodiversity Staff Network, Experience team, and ourselves to build knowledge, improve practices, and make relevant physical adjustments.
One of the key physical adjustments is the brand new sensory room, equipped with adjustable lighting, sound machines, ear defenders, and a variety of sensory friendly toys, tools, and furniture to assist with regulation.
Ward Manager, Saj Ahmed, who was at the forefront of the team’s efforts to achieve the gold award, said:
"It’s really important for us to be able to accommodate everybody that walks through the door and developments like this are the perfect way to do so. It's such a nice environment."
The teams’ commitment to improving the patient experience for autistic and neurodivergent individuals is exemplified by their mission to achieve gold across all outpatient departments across Northumbria Healthcare.
“This is just the very start,” said Saj. “The aim is to mirror the meaningful changes we’ve made here across our other sites.”
This is music to the ears of Kerrie Highcock, Family Development Manager at NEAS, and leader of training for our Autism Acceptance Awards.
“Working with health providers as part of our award process is vital, given that so many autistic people experience significant health inequalities every day,” said Kerrie. “By involving healthcare teams directly, we ensure the award reflects real‑world challenges and celebrates meaningful, practical change.
“One of these changes was reflected in a recent conversation I had with one of the nurses. She told me how they were able to help support an autistic child recently using their newly installed quiet space.
"The space provided the child with the quiet and space he needed when he became overwhelmed in a busy waiting room! This made a huge difference to the family and shows how small changes make big differences."
Chief Experience Officer at North Tyneside General, Jo Mackintosh, believes the award reflects the hospital’s own community promise, which aims to innovate and improve the experience of patients and staff alike.
“Achieving the Gold Autism Acceptance Award demonstrates the teams’ commitment to improving the experience of autistic and neurodivergent people who attend the North Tyneside outpatient department,” said Jo. “They have created a more welcoming and supportive environment for patients.
“This is a great example of how listening to patient experience and working collaboratively with people with lived experience and partners can make services more inclusive for everyone.”
For more information on North Tyneside General Hospital, and to share your feedback with the Experience team, visit https://www.northumbria.nhs.uk/get-involved/experience-team
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