At Healthwatch Southwark, we want to make sure that underrepresented communities have their voices heard by health and social care services.
This project came about because we recognise that people with learning disabilities and autistic people experience poorer health outcomes.
This project aimed to:
- Understand service users' and carers' experiences of accessing healthcare services
- Identify the barriers to healthcare services for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
- Build relationships with target groups and co-produce solutions to improve healthcare access
What We Did
We held three Cafe Conversations events with local voluntary and community sector organisations supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people: Autism Voice, Bede House and Cherry Gardens Day Centre. The Cafes brought together service users, carers and healthcare professionals to talk about key issues related to healthcare access, and what could be done to help resolve them.
Presentations
After publishing the report and an Easy Read summary, we worked together with carer and Founder of Steph Together CIC, Stephanie Maty, to present our findings at the following places of influences:
- Social Prescribing Learning Disabilities and Autism event
- Partnership Southwark Delivery Executive Meeting
- Southwark Learning Disability and Autism Group
- Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission
- King’s Vulnerability Assurance Committee
- London-Wide Health Equity Forum
- Disabilities Providers’ Network
We received 100% formal responses from healthcare providers in Southwark, available to read here. These responses explain what actions will be taken to meet the recommendations made in the report.
Results So Far
- Our insights directly informed Guy's & St. Thomas' All-Age Autism strategy, delivered in partnership with Autism Voice, which will support the Trust to provide more inclusive services for autistic people. Key learnings from our report included the value of co-production and accessible communications. The strategy actions several recommendations, including flexible appointments, sensory-friendly environments, and the need for robust staff training.
- Public Health will deliver an ‘Inclusive Surgeries’ Programme, making it compulsory for all GP surgeries in Southwark to have a Learning Disabilities and Autism champion.
- We took part in Southwark Council's All-Age Autism Strategy workshops to communicate priorities, create an action plan and inform ring-fenced funding for voluntary and community sector groups supporting autistic people.
- Healthcare providers are now implementing Oliver McGowan Training on supporting patients with learning disabilities and autistic patients.
- Hospitals are beginning to implement a Reasonable Adjustments Flag system, enabling healthcare professionals to better identify and accommodate patients' needs.
- This research was featured in Southwark Council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Annual Report 2025. This report supports the monitoring of key health and wellbeing outcomes set out in the Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS) and other local strategies and plans.
- Southeast London's Integrated Care System set an objective for 2025/6 to improve uptake of physical health checks for people with learning disabilities and autistic people . Southwark now has the highest uptake of physical health checks for people with learning disabilities and autistic people of all Southeast London boroughs.
Testimonials
"This document empowers patients but it also empowers us when striving to make these necessary and important changes, so that we can optimise and improve patient and family/carers experiences and patient outcomes." - Special Care Dentistry, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
"Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust acknowledges the valuable insights provided in the Healthwatch report on empowering voices and addressing healthcare access challenges for individuals with learning disabilities and autism. The Trust is committed to taking meaningful action to address the findings and ensure equitable, inclusive, and person-centered care.as described during in the 6-month and 12-month updates. Thank you again for your valuable report, which have been instrumental in shaping our journey toward becoming a leader in neuro-inclusive care." - Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
More Information
Click here to read the report