Accessing Health Care

Hi Dawn 

Thanks for asking for our input! I hope your meeting goes well, good luck! 

I think there should be alternatives to using the phone in order to contact your GP surgery that are made available for everyone regardless of neurotype.

For example, text based web chat, video call or email. For a lot of us autistic people using the phone does not suit our communication style for a variety of reasons including situational mutism, fear of unexpected calls or vague communication.

Not only would this help our autistic community but also other people including:

• Non speaking apraxics 
• Non speaking physically disabled people 
• Stammerers 
• Deaf community 
• Situationally mute people 

Thanks Dawn! You are a great advocate for our autistic community!

Ausomely Autistic said:

For a lot of us autistic people using the phone does not suit our communication style for a variety of reasons

Yes - alternatives to a phone call, either to contact GP surgery, or be contacted by them, would be extremely helpful. 

Glad you agree! There is not enough thought given to people who communicate differently or are non speaking.

Pegg said:

have learned just how common that is for autistic people. 

Yes it is very common in our autistic community, I think this is because phone calls make communication more unpredictable.

Yes, I think that's true - certainly not using the telephone, there's a general assumption that everyone can do it easily, unless they're physically unable. I've struggled with using a phone for as long as I can remember and since being here, have learned just how common that is for autistic people. 

It's definitely an issue. 

Yes, I think that's true - certainly not using the telephone, there's a general assumption that everyone can do it easily, unless they're physically unable. I've struggled with using a phone for as long as I can remember and since being here, have learned just how common that is for autistic people. 

It's definitely an issue. 

Pegg said:

have learned just how common that is for autistic people. 

Yes it is very common in our autistic community, I think this is because phone calls make communication more unpredictable.