Alder Hey, alongside the North-West Network of Parent Carer Forums (NW NNPCF), Contact, and Edge Hill University, has been recognised by NHS England for pioneering work improving healthcare access for disabled and neurodivergent children in under-represented communities.
Engaging with Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller heritage families, Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and Disabled and neurodivergent parent carers, they identified barriers to healthcare and co-produced solutions to reduce inequalities.
Mary Mulvey-Oates from Contact, Kath Bromfield from the NNPCF, and Dr Joann Kiernan of Alder Hey and Edge Hill University accepted the Special Acknowledgement Honour on behalf of partners for the ground-breaking initiative at a special event organised by NHS England to celebrate best practice in SEND.
Dr Joann Kiernan, Consultant Learning Disability Nurse, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Lecturer, said:
This research has heard from communities we know have less access to healthcare services and poorer health and life expectancy. By working closely with them through community connectors and in culturally sensitive ways, we have been able to learn and understand more about what is difficult about accessing and using healthcare services.”
Mary Mulvey-Oates from Contact added: “Many disabled and neurodivergent children from underserved communities face discrimination and exclusion. This project was a rare chance to collaborate and address healthcare disparities, and we are delighted it has been recognised.”
Kath Bromfield from NNPCF said: “Lived experience shaped this project from start to finish, ensuring under-represented voices influenced every stage.”
Professor Lucy Bray from Edge Hill University noted: “This research highlights barriers many families face in accessing healthcare and marks a step toward more equitable services.”
Additionally, Alder Hey’s Youth Forum won a Special Recognition Honour for Young People’s Voice for Change, recognising how it empowered youth voices.
Free online webinars in March will share the project’s findings and explore ways to create a more inclusive healthcare system.
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)’s Developing Innovative, Inclusive and Diverse Public Partnerships programme, supporting world-leading research to improve health and wellbeing.