Support offered at GP practices in Islington for patients with autism

Healthwatch Islington undertook mystery shopping of GP practices to ascertain the level of support for patients with autism. Mystery shoppers called practices posing as newly arrived Islington residents looking for a GP practice which could accommodate their under 18’s needs. They stated that their child had a diagnosis of autism.

• There is inconsistency across the borough, in terms of how patients with autism are supported.
• Not many practices had staff with any specialist knowledge or training around autism. Some practice staff suggested sending autistic patients to a better equipped practice.
• practice staff may need support to record and identify needs, though some practices knew they had autistic patients.
• About half the practices said they could offer autistic patients appointments at quiet times of day. However, it was not easy for some of these practices to predict when they were likely to be quiet.
• There was a lack of quiet spaces for patients with autism to wait (either GP centres didn’t have a room, or they just used ‘whatever is available’ and this would often be unsuitable e.g noisy, busy, or hard to predict if it will be free).
• most practices were happy to give patients with autism longer appointments.
• most practices confirmed that patients with autism could see the same GP each time. (Some practices didn’t want to raise expectations, as many of their GPs worked part-time).
• About half the practices said that patients with autism would be able to email their GP prior to their appointment, to agree in advance the points to be discussed.
• Most practices said they could offer appointments over the phone if needed. Several said they could also offer home visits if necessary.
• Most practices explained that appointments and repeat prescriptions can be booked online.