The Accident and Emergency department at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has installed sensory panels in order to foster a calming environment for neurodiverse patients.

The panels are just part of consistent improvements being made to the hospital to cater to patients with learning disabilities such as ASD.

The improvements are being funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, a non-profit organisation that aims to allocate funds to hospitals that cannot be spared within the NHS budget.

Shasta Ashraf, Director of Grants at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said: “We’re proud to make A&E more inclusive and comfortable for neurodiverse people and we’ll continue to support patient centred experiences as one of our funding priorities.”

The technology used by the panels is responsive to noise, and creates lighting effects as well as sounds in order to stimulate and relax neurodiverse patients. These tools are necessary for an environment like A&E, because it can be a very difficult setting for lots of people.

The two panels are next to each other in side rooms near to A&E and the Acute Medical Unit. A further two sensory projectors have been purchased for installation, which would allow for sensory stimulation in other locations within the hospital to accommodate a wider range of patients.

Rebecca Powell-Wood, Learning Disability and Autism Professional Lead, said: “We hope this equipment will help to provide a calmer experience which in turn will have a positive impact on patients being able to receive their care with as little distress as possible. If it can help to provide a better first experience then it can improve the whole hospital journey.”

The changes follow complaints that NHS waiting rooms are often overstimulating for neurodiverse patients, due to fluorescent lighting and overcrowding creating sensory overload. Additionally, long waiting periods can be very distressing.

Petitions aimed at the NHS have proposed similar ideas to the ones implemented in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, as well as entirely separate waiting rooms and further staff sensitivity training on dealing with neurodiverse patients. Other hospitals across the country are implementing similar ideas.