New dedicated clinic for Northern Trust Paediatric Autism Services

21 May 2018

The Northern Trust has opened a new clinic space dedicated to Paediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Services, which will offer assessment and support to children and their families in an ASD friendly location, greatly improving the experience of our users and staff.

This new clinic space will be used to see service users from across the Northern Trust area and is based in Ahoghill which is seen as a central location.

Paula Murphy, ASD Coordinator said, “Up until now, a child may have gone to a number of different locations that had staff and service users there for other services too. The new clinic provides dedicated place giving continuity of care, which is so important for people with ASD who often struggle with change and may be extremely anxious about going to somewhere they don’t know.

“The new clinic is comfortable and the environment has been designed to be ASD friendly and sensitive to the needs of children and their families. All staff who are based there are trained and aware of the potential anxieties and issues of those who are attending. The new clinic will help our service users to get the greatest benefit from and to fully engage with what we have to offer them.”

A very successful event was recently held to mark the official opening of the new clinic space which was attended by staff from across Northern Trust services, the community and voluntary sector and families who have received support from ASD services in the past.

Marie Roulston, Divisional Director for Women, Children and Families Division, officially opened this space at the event and said: “I am delighted to see the new dedicated clinic space opening its doors and believe this will offer a better experience for families who may be going through an already anxious time.

“This new clinic shows the Northern Trust’s commitment to improving the care we provide and I would like to thank all the staff who have worked so tirelessly to make this a success.”

21st May 2018