Autistic Society’s Professionals Awards
13 May 2013
The Special Assessment Clinic won the award for providing specialist eye care services for
people with autism and other forms of learning disabilities. The award
was presented to them by NAS President, Jane Asher, and Kate Fox,
comedian, spoken word artist and Radio 4 Saturday Live regular, at a
special awards ceremony held in the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.
The Clinic scooped the award for its innovative approach to eye care.
This includes replacing traditional methods such as letter charts and
big black chairs in its treatment rooms in favour of specially adapted
tests based on an individual person's ability to perform a given task.
The building is also specially designed to be a non-threatening
environment with open
spaces and cubicles for privacy.
The Cardiff Clinic is the only one of its kind in the whole of the UK and has received more than 10,000 patients from across the UK and abroad since it was established in 1992.
Andy Millington (pictured with Jane Asher), Academic Lead and Clinical
Optometrist at the Clinic said: "It is down to the fantastic work of the
team at The Cardiff Clinic that we have received this award. To be
recognised as a national example of Clinical Excellence is a wonderful
achievement and something all staff at the clinic should be truly proud
of. "We are
dedicated to providing specialist eye-care of the
highest quality to all patients, including those with autism. And go
above and beyond to ensure that patients with the condition get a
first-class service that meets their needs."
Carol Povey, Director of the Centre for Autism at the NAS said: "The accomplishments of all the Autism Professional Awards finalists are extremely impressive. These are organisations and individuals who have made a positive contribution to the autism community. The Special Assessment Clinic stood out for its innovative approach to eye care and the impact its work has had on families affected by autism in the UK. The service is a truly inspiring and deserving winner.
"I want to congratulate the clinic and encourage others to follow its lead and work hard to support the hundreds of thousands of people living with autism across the UK."
The Special Assessment Clinic beat two other finalists in the Clinical Excellence category: The Autism Diagnostic and Research Centre and the Family Action Support Team at North East Lincolnshire Council. The former conducts autism assessments of individuals of all ages, while the latter is a specialist service which supports and empowers families with children with attention and behavioural difficulties, including autism. The Clinical Excellence category was sponsored by Brookdale Care, which provides specialist support for young adults with autism and learning disability or mental health needs.
There were six categories in total at the Autism Professionals Awards, with five other winners also receiving national recognition for their outstanding achievements. The independent judging panel consisted of leading experts in the field of autism from a variety of professional backgrounds across the UK.