Ensuring neurodivergent staff are considered in your practice

21 Jul 2026 Estimated read time: 6 min read

Work effectively with neurodivergent healthcare professionals, and what to consider when making your practice more inclusive for the benefit of these colleagues, the wider team, and patient care.

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation of human brains and how they function, whereas neurodivergent individuals are those whose cognitive processes differ from what is considered typical. It is estimated that up to 15% of the population is neurodivergent. Neurodivergent conditions include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s syndrome.

One of the beauties of medicine is the variety it brings, and with it comes space for individuals with different knowledge, skills, personalities and abilities to thrive. Embracing neurodivergence and developing a deeper understanding of what it encompasses is a way to empower ourselves and our colleagues to thrive.

This article considers the actions that teams and the wider practice can do to support neurodivergent healthcare professionals.

The team

Of all the vocations in the world, teams are at the heart of healthcare delivery. This means those around the neurodivergent colleague have an important role to play in helping them thrive – for their own benefit, the team, and for patients.

Unfortunately, a recent BMA survey paints a less cohesive reality for neurodivergent doctors with reports of bullying, harassment, being treated unfairly or viewed negatively1.

This contrasts with Domain 3 of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice2 which emphasises treating colleagues with kindness, courtesy, and respect, and contributing to a positive working and training environment. This guidance asks doctors to reflect on their own behaviours and biases, show respect for others, and not abuse, discriminate, bully or harass. This is important because an effective and happy team is not only good for the team, but also for patient safety, and efficient and effective healthcare delivery. With that in mind, we explore what teams can do to support neurodivergent colleagues.

Get to know one another. It’s good to talk. How often have you really sat down as a team and learnt about one another’s strengths and weaknesses, hopes, aspirations and fears? Think about what you can do to proactively ensure maximum comfort and inclusion for a diverse range of people.

Create a neuroinclusive culture – be better informed about the experiences of neurodivergent staff, the barriers they perceive, what you can do as a team to overcome these and how they can perform to their best.

Psychological safety – create a team in which everyone, including the neurodivergent colleague, can be open and honest.

Leadership and management – it starts from the top. Neuroinclusive management pays dividends at setting the tone for the rest of the team.

Change – be sensitive to how its introduced.

Communication – be clear.

Decompress – we could all do with this, time out, a mandatory break and you come back refreshed and ready to go.

Signposting – might there be a role for Occupational Health, Practitioner Health or the Professional Support Unit (only for doctors in NHSE training posts) in supporting a neurodivergent colleague.

The reality of the job means that a neurodivergent healthcare professional will likely be faced with a situation or circumstance that won’t be a fit for their condition. As an adult professional, you have to sometimes do what you don’t want to do. For example, attending the meetings you dislike or completing the humdrum of paperwork. But it’s about where can there be accommodation, when can there be compromise, what the neurodivergent healthcare professional could do to cope themselves in such a situation and how a team can support them.

The organisation

The law is important here. Neurodivergence is covered by the Equality Act 2010. This protects individuals from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. It also creates a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across your staff.

There’s also the Autism Act 2009. Whilst the focus is on what the Government needs to do and statutory requirements on local services for autistic adults, the key elements apply to healthcare professionals with autism. These are around diagnosis, management, support, freedom from discrimination, opportunity and inclusion.

Despite this, the Society of Radiographers has called for more to be done to help staff who are neurodivergent, saying that some workers are being “driven out” of the NHS3. It’s a sentiment echoed by the BMA survey mentioned above1.

So, in a practical sense what can employers do to support a neurodivergent healthcare professional?

The office – adapt the workstation. Make the office less distracting, avoid the open space where possible.

The IT – apps, programmes, and loads of software now available to overcome difficulties in typing, handwriting and coordination.

Redesign the schedule – can remote working or flexible hours be used even if only for part of the working week.

Training – everyone would do well to learn about neurodiversity. Conversely, there’s training for the neurodivergent healthcare professional to improve their executive functioning and communication where needed, ensuring these opportunities are funded ad available to them.

Mentorship, coaching and peer support – all valuable in creating a supportive, facilitative environment and sense of belonging.

Signposting – local professional support units, NHS Practitioner Health, Occupational health can all play a key role in suggesting reasonable adjustments and support.

Access to work – open to all, not means tested, and can help fund the necessary adaptations and support a neurodivergent healthcare professional might need. But a word of caution, it will not pay for reasonable adjustments. These are the changes employers must legally make to support someone to do their job.

Recruitment – conventional processes might unintentionally exclude neurodivergent talent. Does it have to be a traditional job interview structure? Could alternative ways of assessing an individual’s ability, competence and experience be assessed?

Rotations – think of how you can keep up the reasonable adjustments for each new cohort of trainees that comes through the doors and make it easier for neurodivergent healthcare professionals to reach out for support from day one of their placement.

From the top – An exploration of the interconnectedness between neurodivergence, emotional intelligence, and leadership in the workplace would be invaluable for the CEO of any hospital, Senior GP, Consultant, or Dean of any university or postgraduate training scheme.

Summary

Organisations create a powerful environment in which neurodivergent healthcare professionals spend the best part of their waking days (and nights). It is important that practices follow the legal requirements but also foster a supportive and inclusive workplace that supports diversity.