Comprising Motions 23 and 24 plus amendments
Conference recognises the growing number of neurodivergent workers, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other conditions. Despite protections under the Equality Act 2010, many still face discrimination, inaccessible recruitment processes, inflexible approaches to hybrid working, inconsistent use of reasonable adjustment passports and lack of workplace support.
There is growing research showing the cost and risks of not developing inclusive practices. There is also encouraging research showing how cost-effective and neuro-diversity sensitive changes can improve productivity and outcomes for all staff and patients. These include:
i. Autism friendly waiting areas.
ii. Virtual department or hospital tours.
iii. Patient experience videos.
iv. Testing processes so they’re accessible.
v. Awareness training for whole teams.
Hospitals can be stressful and intimidating places for anyone to visit or work. This can lead to poor communication which contributes to increased patient risk and inefficient treatment. These risks and costs are amplified for patients and staff with neuro-diversities.
Investing time to ensure clear communications about expectations, simplifying systems, and adopting inclusive spaces benefits all patients as well as those healthcare staff with neuro-diversities. Likewise, considering neuro-diverse needs in work design, training and development for students and staff also reduces burnout and stress and improves retention – supporting better productivity and outcomes for patients.
Conference welcomes increasing awareness of neurodiversity across unions and employers but believes national action is urgently needed.
Congress therefore calls on the TUC to:
a. work with unions and relevant charities to champion inclusive practice as part of a safer and more productive NHS
b. develop focussed modules for health and safety reps and equality reps to conduct audits for inclusive spaces, systems and practice
c. actively promote examples of good practice and how these benefit all service users and staff
d. support training for unions’ representatives in understanding and championing inclusive spaces, systems and practice across NHS and other public service settings.
e. campaign for:
– strengthened equality legislation that explicitly protects neurodivergent workers and mandates neurodiversity training for employers
– statutory timelines and legal rights to reasonable adjustments, including for those awaiting a formal diagnosis
– recruitment reform requiring accessible processes, clear role descriptions and inclusive assessment methods
– mandatory neurodiversity workforce reporting, particularly in large employers and the public sector
– investment in inclusive apprenticeships and tailored work experience for neurodivergent young people
– a national neurodiversity strategy, co-created with disabled people and with union involvement, and the appointment of a dedicated minister for neurodiversity
– inclusion of neurodivergent needs in workplace health and safety law, including manager training and sensory risk assessments.
– support for parents and carers of neurodiverse individuals
– the commission of research into the experiences of and challenges facing neurodiverse workers, to ensure that this strategy is grounded in their lived experience and informs the work unions and the TUC are doing going forwards.
Conference resolves to support unions in promoting workplace neurodiversity and campaigning for legislative reform that ensures equity, dignity and opportunity for all workers.
Proposer: Society of Radiographers
Seconder: Aegis
Supporters: Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers,
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, FDA