Breaking barriers to healthcare

The Breaking Barriers Project is a set of video guides to help autistic people or those with a learning disability prepare for health appointments.

The videos have been co-produced by BLMK (Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes) Integrated Care Board, clinicians, autistic adults, ELFT (East London Foundation Trust) and Autism Bedfordshire, to help autistic people and people with a learning disability better understand what to expect when going to healthcare appointments, screening appointments and different areas of their health.

Here’s a quick look at the sort of videos the project has produced:

The publication of the ICB’s learning disability and autism strategy in autumn 2023 found that adults with autism or learning disabilities were less likely to attend screening appointments, especially for cancer screenings.  To understand the barriers preventing autistic people from attending appointments, Autism Bedfordshire talked with autistic adults and clinicians and in co-production created the first of the Breaking Barriers videos.

Below you can find the different videos produced within the Breaking Barriers Project.