Sheffield adult Autistics demanding equality group.

[Dozer]

A with most interventions that would enable access to a GP the solutions can be very simple and do not require "Queue Jumping".

 

The GP in a practice should be "named" for that ASD patient.

Appointments can be made for the start of a session.

A trained/dedicated member of the reception team is "aware" that the ASD patient might present themselves differently/awkwardly and not understand or not have the communication skills that they might expect.

 

Escorting the ASD patient to the correct room may be required as is taking them back and through the treatment/prescription/costs etc.

 

Many ASD patients can easily cope with the individual "steps" of visiting the doctor- what they many find difficult is coping all the different things going on at the same time.

 

ASD people may never have visited a surgery as local GPs have had nothing to do with their assessment or diagnosis.

 

Great post. Sometimes one example can shed more light than pages of speculation. I've learned something.

[hamatik]

Spot on. My sister has asperger's, and she is treated like absolute dirt. She has to sign on like any unemployed person, and the job centre have told her she is perfectly capable of working. But yet she has been to the "voluntary" jobs they make you do (unpaid labour) and been sacked from them for being too slow! She was told there might be a job at the end of it, and obviously as she totally trusts everything anyone told her, she really got her hopes up, only to be repeatedly let down. They have set her up with so many jobs, only for her to get sacked time after time, and just keep repeating the cycle!

 

She desperately wants a paid job like everyone else, and keeps getting her heart broken. I've tried helping her so many times and giving her advice, but the job centre keep filling her head full of nonsense and messing her about. It's absolutely disgusting!!

 

It makes me so angry honestly.

 

Anyway, I would absolutely LOVE to find some sort of support network that could help my sister and would love for her to be involved in it, but she is very passive and terrified of confrontation. And although I am neurotypical, I would love to be involved in any way I can help without stepping on anyone's toes. I'll PM you my number.

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 14:11 ----------

 

The worst thing is that due to zero hours contracts, employers are easily capable of dodging the disability discrimination act and sacking anyone for no stipulated reason - even though my sister is clearly being discriminated against.

 

Anyway, apologies... rant over.

[Cyclone]

Even if this baffling answer was correct,

How is it baffling?

If the point is to avoid any possible waiting, and even the first appointment of the day involves waiting, then it's not a good solution.

it would still mean that the ASD patient will have signed in at reception first, would have met with the person who is aware of the situation and been told about the delay and the situation explained to them.

This however could be possible at any time of the day.

They would miss most of the stress caused by where and how to queue and wait in a packed waiting rooms, announcements etc.

And some, but not all, of this could be alleviated at any time of the day.

 

I went to the GP a year ago to check up on holiday jabs, perhaps my GP is unusual, in that I waited about 5 minutes, there were probably about 10 people in a room capable of holding 50, and the announcements were electronic, on a board, and very clear.

 

---------- Post added 07-10-2015 at 09:21 ----------

 

Spot on. My sister has asperger's, and she is treated like absolute dirt. She has to sign on like any unemployed person, and the job centre have told her she is perfectly capable of working. But yet she has been to the "voluntary" jobs they make you do (unpaid labour) and been sacked from them for being too slow! She was told there might be a job at the end of it, and obviously as she totally trusts everything anyone told her, she really got her hopes up, only to be repeatedly let down. They have set her up with so many jobs, only for her to get sacked time after time, and just keep repeating the cycle!

 

She desperately wants a paid job like everyone else, and keeps getting her heart broken. I've tried helping her so many times and giving her advice, but the job centre keep filling her head full of nonsense and messing her about. It's absolutely disgusting!!

 

It makes me so angry honestly.

 

Anyway, I would absolutely LOVE to find some sort of support network that could help my sister and would love for her to be involved in it, but she is very passive and terrified of confrontation. And although I am neurotypical, I would love to be involved in any way I can help without stepping on anyone's toes. I'll PM you my number.

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 14:11 ----------

 

The worst thing is that due to zero hours contracts, employers are easily capable of dodging the disability discrimination act and sacking anyone for no stipulated reason - even though my sister is clearly being discriminated against.

 

Anyway, apologies... rant over.

 

This sounds like a much clearer example of a system that is broken and failing to support someone who needs it.

[onewheeldave]

Personally, I've found that 'first appointment of the day/morning/afternoon to be quite usefull- certainly far less stressfull than just waiting in a room to be called.

 

Of course, that doesn't mean it's usefull for all autistic people- it isn't.

 

But, as a very easy, and, for some, very usable, solution, which involves no waiting room 'queue jumping', it should IMO be offered to all autistic patients.

 

Those who have a clear and documented serious issue with waiting/booking procedures, should, IMO, be seen with no waiting. That can be done, and, for some autistic people, it is the only way they will be able to access medical care.

 

The fact is though, the majority of autistics, can deal with some form of waiting as long as a variety of options like the one above ('first appointment') are easily available, and, as long as they are treated with respect by the NHS staff ('respect' in autistic terms, NOT necessarily what passes for respect in the NT world).

 

From my observations of how NTs treat me, and other autistics, my main tip to any NT wishing to treat an autistic person with respect, is to wipe completely out of your head, any belief that you 'understand' them or their autism. That most especially includes those NTs who've 'known an autistic person/s' or, 'worked with autistic people' (and tend to generalise the abilites of the autistic person they knew, to all autistic people).

 

The only NTs I've come across who can work well with autistic people in helping them deal with the issues they face, have all been specialists in working with autistic people, and, I believe a prime reason they succeed is because they realise that, when facing a new client, that they do not know, or understand them.

 

(They also know that the best way to learn about an autistic person and their issues, is to ask them, and listen to the answers (whilst always being aware that they will almost certainly misunderstand some of the answers).

[Beauchiefs]

Cyclone- for whatever reasons, I can't deal with your particular style of communicating/debate.

 

I could say that I'm pretty much as 'adversarial' as one would expect of a newly diagnosed autistic with a history of mental health issues, who has had to look back on a life of mistakes and failure, and realise that they were entirely due to being autistic, in an NT world where the majority of autistic people are at a severe disadvantage in all the areas of life that humans value- relationships, work, health, education etc.

 

But, I know from many past discussions on here with you, that it will just aggravate me.

 

And, for once, we seem to have some posters on here who are knowledgable about autistic people, and who seem quite able and willing to put you straight, so, I think I'll just leave them to it

 

To blame all mistakes and failures in your life on your illness might satisfy your mind, the implication is that you would otherwise have been perfect in an imperfect world.

You do the hardworking employees of the NHS who are doing their best for the wide variety of patients they come across a disservice with you criticism.

[Neilwalts68]

Both my son and I have have aspergers, and we both have had our difficulties in the past and still do. I would have welcomed something like this when we where both Diagnosed.

[AliceParry42]

Are there any autism positive groups in sheffield? Or places where there are high functioning autistics who can help struggling autistics.

 

I have a mix of ADHD and autism and have come up with a few interesting coping mechanisms of my own and was wandering if there is anyone who wants to idea swap.

 

Thanks all,

 

Alice

[onewheeldave]

Are there any autism positive groups in sheffield? Or places where there are high functioning autistics who can help struggling autistics.

 

I have a mix of ADHD and autism and have come up with a few interesting coping mechanisms of my own and was wandering if there is anyone who wants to idea swap.

 

Thanks all,

 

Alice

Hi Alice. Many groups are set up and run by neurotypicals, along neurotypical principles, which, unfortunately, makes them inaccessible for many HF autistics, especially those who are struggling.

 

Sheffields 'Adult Asperger Group' is run by people who are themselves HF autistic adults, and I've found them to be more accessible. They meet on the last Thursday of each month, and their website is here-

 

http://sheffieldautisticsociety.org.uk/activity/adult-aspergers-group/

[AliceParry42]

Hi Alice. Many groups are set up and run by neurotypicals, along neurotypical principles, which, unfortunately, makes them inaccessible for many HF autistics, especially those who are struggling.

 

Sheffields 'Adult Asperger Group' is run by people who are themselves HF autistic adults, and I've found them to be more accessible. They meet on the last Thursday of each month, and their website is here-

 

http://sheffieldautisticsociety.org.uk/activity/adult-aspergers-group/

 

Brilliant, thank you. I will look them up