The creators of a new toolkit to help support colleagues who have neurodivergent conditions, such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), dyslexia, have been shortlisted for an award.
The toolkit, designed by staff Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, features a guide to starting conversations around neurodiversity and how the workplace can be adjusted to help workers.
It has been shortlisted for a GM Health and Care Champion Awards 2024.
Jody Petersen, a Practice Educator, and Sean Griffiths, a Plaster Technician, created the toolkit
The duo are finalists in the Equalities Champion category, with the winners set to be announced on Thursday, July 11.
Jody said it was a lovely surprise to be nominated alongside Sean.
She said: “I’m in awe of his work and I have been really lucky to work with him. There are so many people working to increase awareness and improve the experience of neurodivergent staff, students, and patients in different ways.
“I hope that staff, managers and educators can use the toolkit to learn more about neurodiversity, to better understand how simple changes in communication and practices can enhance our service delivery and working environment.
“By removing barriers and supporting difficulties, I hope we will start to see people’s strengths and the value that every individual can bring to the care of our patients and service users.”
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Sean added: “At first I was stunned at being nominated, but I’ve been even more blown away by at the amount of colleagues wishing us good luck.
“The toolkit and the starting up of the Neurodiversity Support Group has been a great step forward and I hope we can make a difference to staff and patients.”
Hospitals and healthcare settings can be a challenging place for neurodivergent staff due to the design of buildings and environments, the processes and systems that are used, and sometimes the nature of the service so having a toolkit helps.
The regional awards are organised by NHS Greater Manchester to recognise the exemplary contributions from the whole health and care workforce.
More than 500 nominations were received this year for 13 different categories, including Leadership, Innovation and Community Champion.
James Mawrey, Director of People and Deputy Chief Executive at the trust, said: “Jody and Sean richly deserve this recognition for their brilliant work to increase awareness about neurodiversity in the workplace and encourage us all to have open conversations about the changes we can make so that everyone can thrive.
“Here at Bolton, we champion diversity and celebrate the unique skill sets of each and every individual, which makes all the difference when it comes to providing the best level of care for all of our communities.
“We encourage all of our colleagues to come together and generate new ideas and pave the way for positive change, and it’s fantastic to see these ideas come to life. A huge congratulations to Jody and Sean.”
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