We have been working with young people, parents and health professionals over the last year to develop the ‘My Hospital Guide’ resource. The resource aim to help autistic children and young people or children and young people with learning disabilities have a positive experience when they come to hospital for a treatment, investigation or to see a health professional.

We worked with children and young people, parents and a range of health professionals to develop what was in the resource, who the resource should be for and to make sure it was accessible, engaging and easy to use.

‘My Hospital Guide’ is a freely accessible and downloadable resource for children, young people and their parents to help them prepare for a hospital visit, have a say in what helps them when they come to hospital and share their views of how to make their visit a positive experience.

The resource also includes a separate sheet for health professionals with top tips on how to support autistic children and young people and children and young people with a learning disability when they come to hospital for a treatment, investigation or procedure.

The team

Meet the team who have led this work:

Dr Joann Kiernan

Edge Hill University and
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

Professor Lucy Bray

Edge Hill University

Dr Simon Nielson

Edge Hill University

Samantha Miller

Parent advisor,
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

Dr Jennie Craske

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

Dr Axel Kaehne

Edge Hill University

James Ridley

Edge Hill University

Anna Ostomeir- Brill

Manchester Children’s Hospital

Dr Kate Oulton

Great Ormond Street Hospital