Rethinking our approach to supporting autistic people
A new post has been established to ensure that autistic people receive high quality and effective care from the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Adult Secure Provider Collaborative.
Rachel Culllen joined the Provider Collaborative as Autism Pathway Lead in June 2024 on a two-year fixed-term contract.
The new role has been established to respond to the increasing number of autistic people detained in secure inpatient units. Since 2015 there has been a 117% increase in autistic people without a learning disability detained in hospital.
Rachel, who uses the pronouns 'they/them', will draw on their own lived experience as an autistic person with ADHD who has used inpatient mental health services to enhance the quality of care for autistic people.
Expert advice
They will provide support, expert advice, guidance and training to staff across the Provider Collaborative to ensure autistic people are receiving high quality, effective up-to-date care in line with best practice.
This includes delivering training programmes to provider partners, Forensic Outreach and Liaison Service (FOLS) teams and inpatient services on the latest research about autistic people. Bespoke training is also available which will be tailored to the needs of teams or a particular patient.
A Community of Practice has been established and Rachel and will be hosting regular sessions, with guest speakers, to share ideas and learn from each other about how to create safe and supportive environments for autistic people.
Sensory library
Rachel also offers a consultancy service, which includes meeting with patients and offering advice to staff about how to meet their needs. Provider partners will be able to hire sensory equipment, including lighting, blankets and gadgets, from a sensory library which is launching in December.
"Mental health inpatient services were not designed with autistic people in mind and their needs are often misunderstood. Autistic people use their sensory system to regulate their emotional and physical states," says Rachel.
"Bright light and loud noises can cause problems and lead to meltdowns. Overtime, with prolonged exposure and without the right support, autistic people can have a severe response to seemingly minor things.
"I'm looking forward to working with teams across the Provider Collaborative to rethink our approach to supporting autistic people."
For more information, please email Rachel.