Our Tertiary Eating Disorder Specialist Service has become the first in NHS Scotland to be awarded the Autism Accreditation Specialist Award by the National Autistic Society.
Senior Charge Nurse Jimmy Murphy, TESS Team Lead, said: “This recognition marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering inclusive, high-quality care for people living with autism and their families.
“Autism accreditation is the UK’s leading programme for autism-specific quality assurance, and this award confirms that our service meets the highest standards of practice.
“We’re honoured to join a growing network of accredited services across the UK, all dedicated to improving outcomes for those who have autism spectrum disorder.
“Our team of occupational therapists, nurses, dieticians, medics, admin, psychology and clinical support workers has worked tirelessly to adapt and enhance our approach, ensuring that people who have autism feel safe, understood and supported every step of the way.”
Diane Kane, Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist, added: “We look forward to being listed in the National Autistic Society’s Autism Services Directory, helping more people discover autism-friendly support across Scotland.
“We’re also delighted and proud to have our achievement recognised in the following motion in the Scottish Parliament.”
“That the Parliament commends the Tertiary Eating Disorder Specialist Service (TESS), NHS Lanarkshire, on becoming the first NHS service in Scotland to be awarded the Autism Accreditation Specialist Award, after a very rigorous process by the National Autistic Society; understands that TESS’s work was motivated by a growing awareness that an increasing number of referrals to it were for patients, both diagnosed and initially undiagnosed, with a range of neurodevelopmental conditions, especially autism; believes that this recognition marks a significant milestone to deliver inclusive, high-quality care for people with autism and their families, and will improve service provision, patient experience and treatment outcomes for those affected by autism and/or an eating disorder; understands that autism accreditation is the UK’s leading programme for autism-specific quality assurance, and that this award confirms that TESS meets the highest standards of autism practice; applauds the tireless work of what it sees as this forward-thinking NHS team to adapt and enhance its approach to ensure that its service users feel safe, understood and supported every step of the way during their treatment; considers that this accreditation, and the work that lies behind it, will mean that people being treated for autism will feel more understood in their treatment and contacts with the service and that there will be improved engagement between them and their clinicians, which will ultimately provide the best possible conditions to improve clinical outcomes; hopes that this recognition is the first of many more autism-informed NHS services across Scotland, and congratulates TESS for its commitment and dedication to improve the treatment it provides to its clients and the example it has set to inspire other NHS services to follow its lead.”
