Imagine the brilliance of a mind that can see patterns others miss, the dedication that fuels relentless focus, the empathy that provides a unique perspective in shaping patient care. Now, consider these strengths facing tough barriers – sensory overload in a busy ward, struggling with communication styles that feel misunderstood, or feeling out of place in a work environment that doesn’t quite fit.
Neurodivergent colleagues – those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions – bring these very strengths to the NHS and our commitment in return is clear:
to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all our neurodivergent staff members. To ensure our workforce is supported and valued, we aim to:
Appreciate the unique skills, strengths, and perspectives each individual brings to the organization.
Create accommodating and comfortable environments for individual needs whenever possible.
Foster an environment that promotes staff well-being.
Remove barriers to full participation for our neurodivergent staff.
This is a step towards unlocking their full potential, fostering a truly inclusive environment where everyone thrives. Ensuring neurodivergent colleagues feel supported at work not only promotes fairness it strengthens the incredible team we are.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is the term that explains the natural variation in everyone’s brain including thinking processes, information processing, and learning approaches.
This definition highlights that each individual has their own neurodiversity – as all our brains are different. However, statistics suggest that over 15% of people in the UK, or roughly 1 in 7 individuals, are neurodivergent.
Dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, attention deficit disorders (ADHD), tourette syndrome, are some examples of the most widely recognised neurodivergent conditions.
Understanding neurodivergent colleagues or employee
Most neurodivergent conditions are experienced within a spectrum – meaning that the experience of each will differ between individuals and a person can also identify with more than one neurodivergent condition. However, can commonly include differences in cognitive functions including attention, executive function (task planning), sensory processing, learning, sociability, and mood. The impact and presentation of any or all of these traits can vary over time and can be impacted by multiple factors.
Neurodivergent conditions tend to be invisible, which can create barriers for individuals in accessing the support and accommodations that would help them thrive in the workplace and the wider society. As each individual’s experience varies, so too will the accommodations that may best meet their needs. Some examples of accommodations include providing clear communication strategies, offering sensory-friendly spaces, and providing the structure of activities ahead of time.
It is important to use inclusive language when discussing neurodiversity, and individuals’ personal choices on how they identify should always be respected. However, identity-first language is generally preferred among neurodivergent communities, such as saying ‘autistic people’ rather than ‘people with autism’.
Examples of Challenges Experienced by Neurodivergent Colleagues
Difficulties with social and communication skills, such as articulating ideas, making or maintaining eye contact, and engaging in social norms like office small talk.
Sensory overload triggered by factors such as overhead fluorescent lighting, competing noises, or uncomfortable temperatures.
Difficulty retaining information from large blocks of text.
Challenges with spelling, grammar, or mathematics.
Increased risk of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, often exacerbated by a lack of understanding, resistance to accommodations, and feelings of being unsupported or stigmatised in the workplace.
Examples of Strengths of Neurodivergent Colleagues
Creative and innovative thinking that enables them to recognize unique solutions across a wide variety of situations.
Specialised, detailed knowledge and skills within their areas of interest.
High levels of empathy and emotional intelligence.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to recognise patterns.
Clear and direct communication style.
Terminology and Key Terms
Definitions relating to neurodiversity can be contentious and lack uniformity, they are also undergoing continual evolution as our understanding of the subject widens.
The following organisations have created glossary’s of key terminology which individuals may find helpful:
How can managers support neurodivergent team members?
1. Embrace Open Communication and Individualised Support:
Initiate open conversations with neurodivergent staff in a private setting, focusing on their needs and preferences. The workplace adjustment passport can be helpful for these discussions.
Instead of assuming challenges or needs, ask how you can best support them.
Remember, neurodiversity is a spectrum. Each person’s needs will be unique, so tailor your approach accordingly.
The needs of neurodivergent individuals can change or fluctuate over time and can be impacted by other ongoing life events – regularly checking with neurodivergent staff is essential to ensure that adjustments are still suitable.
2. Prioritise Clear Communication and Flexibility:
Provide clear and concise instructions, both written and verbal, with opportunities for clarification.
Consider offering additional formats for information, like bullet points, flowcharts, or audio recordings.
Be open to flexible work arrangements, like noise-canceling headphones or adjusted deadlines, to help them excel.
3. Celebrate Strengths and Foster an Inclusive Environment:
Recognise and celebrate the unique strengths neurodivergent colleagues bring to the team.
Educate the team about neurodiversity and encourage open communication to build a more inclusive and understanding work environment.
Create an environment where they feel safe to disclose their support needs and reassured that privacy will always be respected.
Another important consideration to make when engaging with neurodivergent staff is the importance and validity of self-diagnoses. Many individuals, are not diagnosed or are misdiagnosed with other conditions throughout their childhood and early adulthood. This means that as an adult when they begin to suspect that they are neurodivergent either do not have access to medical support or diagnosis or chose not to pursue this.
Good Recruitment Practice for Neurodivergent Staff
Recruiting neurodivergent staff may involve adapting practices, and providing reasonable adjustments. Some examples of good recruitment practices are:
Reviewing job adverts and person specifications to ensure that they use clear, concise language and emphasise the essential criteria.
Offering applicants the opportunity to disclose that they are neurodivergent or have disabilities that may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
Provide candidates with clear, information about how to reach the interview location, ideally with visual cues. Share details about what they can expect during the interview, including who they will meet, the interview’s duration, and its format. Ensure the interview takes place in a quiet, distraction-free space.
If requested and where appropriate – such as competency based interviews – provide questions in advance to give candidates time to process them. If this is requested, questions should be provided to all candidates – not just the person requesting them – with as much notice as possible. During the interview, ask the questions in the same sequence they were provided. This does not preclude managers from asking follow-up questions for clarification.
Be mindful of the potential bias of ‘first impressions’ and refrain from negatively judging body language or limited social interaction.
Provide clear guidance on what they can expect following the interview including timescales to be notified of the outcome.
This page is intended to assist AHPs in finding out more information about Quality Improvement methodology as part of the AHP Quality Improvement Workstream.
The Aim of this workstream is that:
By Dec 2026 50% more AHPs will feel able to put QI methodology into practice as aligned to the AHP Learning and Development Strategic Framework.
The Lead for this workstream is Nikki Munro who is Professional Lead and Service Manager for Orthotics.
If you have any questions on the NHSGGC AHP QI workstream please get in touch with Nikki directly at nikki.munro@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
NHSGGC Quality Improvement Team
NHS GGC have an amazing Quality Improvement Team who are here to help with all things QI including supporting projects and compiling tools and information for those who are already carrying out QI projects.
There are loads of useful tools hosted on the NHSGGC Clinical Effectiveness QI page, however as this is hosted on staffnet, its only accessible to NHSGGC staff when logged into the NHSGGC network.
Here are the main policies which give the background as to why Quality is important and what we should do to achieve the highest quality possible within Healthcare in Scotland.
As a very quick introduction to the fundamentals of Quality Improvement, click on the link below to complete the NHSGGC module. A great way to start your QI journey.
If you have completed the LearnPro module and would like to know more, click on the link below to complete the NES TURAS Learn introductory QI modules. A great way to continue your QI journey.
6) Introduction to demand, capacity, activity and queue
7) Introduction to Value Management
I know something about QI but want to know more
The Q Community is a connected community working together to improve health and care quality across the UK and Ireland. They have lots of useful resources.
Description: Improving planned care pathways toolkit
Reducing waiting times has been a key priority for NHS Scotland for over a decade, typically waiting times initiatives have been used to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for planned care. This toolkit has been developed, using learning from across Scotland, to support NHS boards in taking a quality improvement (QI) approach to sustainably reduce waiting times.
Planned care services can reduce the time patients wait by improving their pathways to balance the workload associated with referrals to the demand for care.
By using this toolkit, planned care teams will be able to:
establish an effective project team to test and implement changes
identify the constraints in their pathway contributing to the longest waits
understand service user needs
use learning from others to increase the pace of change, and
use data to demonstrate a sustainable improvement has occurred.
Description: Improving planned care pathways toolkit
Reducing waiting times has been a key priority for NHS Scotland for over a decade, typically waiting times initiatives have been used to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for planned care. This toolkit has been developed, using learning from across Scotland, to support NHS boards in taking a quality improvement (QI) approach to sustainably reduce waiting times.
Planned care services can reduce the time patients wait by improving their pathways to balance the workload associated with referrals to the demand for care.
By using this toolkit, planned care teams will be able to:
establish an effective project team to test and implement changes
identify the constraints in their pathway contributing to the longest waits
understand service user needs
use learning from others to increase the pace of change, and
use data to demonstrate a sustainable improvement has occurred.
The NMC Standards for Education and Training (updated 2023) replaced the NMC Standards to Support Learning and Assessment and students on pre and post registration programmes are now supervised and assessed whilst in practice learning environments. As a result of this change, the roles of mentor, sign-off mentor, practice teacher and teacher have been replaced with three new roles: the practice supervisor, practice assessor and academic assessor.
As a practice supervisor of student nurses and midwives you will:
Serve as a role model for safe and effective practice in line with the NMC (2018) Code of Conduct.
Support learning in line with your scope of practice, enabling students to meet their skills and proficiencies.
Keep your own knowledge and practice up to date in the areas where you provide support, supervision and feedback.
Provide timely feedback on student progress towards achieving their skills and proficiencies.
Contribute to the student’s record of achievement by recording relevant observation of their practice.
Have sufficient opportunity to engage with practice assessors and academic assessors to share relevant observations on student performance in practice.
Appropriately raise and respond to student conduct and competency concerns and seek support when doing so.
Practice Assessors
As practice assessor of student nurses and midwives you will:
Have previous working knowledge of supporting and assessing students’ performance in practice
Are suitably prepared in supporting learning and assessment in practice and have a working knowledge of the students learning and achievement in theory.
Conduct assessments to confirm student achievement of proficiencies and programme outcomes for practice learning, including periodic observation of the student across a range of environments.
Make assessment decisions informed by feedback provided by the students practice supervisors and academic assessor.
Record objective, evidence based assessment on student performance from a range of sources.
Keep your own knowledge and practice up-to-date in the areas where you are providing support, supervision, feedback and assessment.
Work in partnership with the nominated academic assessor to review the student performance prior to recommending progression in the programme.
Academic Assessors
The academic assessor works with a nominated practice assessor to make recommendations for progression for the student they are assigned to. They collate and confirm the student’s academic and practice learning outcomes for the part of the part of the programme they are assigned to the student, before recommending them for progression on to the next part of the programme.
The three roles undertaking the supervision and assessment of student nurses and midwives
The NHSGGC Practice Education Team can also support your continuing professional development in the PS and PA roles. Not only do we offer different topics as listed below, but also we offer them in a variety of different teaching and learning styles to meet your needs. In addition, your local PEF/CHEF can provide bespoke updates in your area so please get in touch with them. Also, remember that effective practice learning should be a focus of discussion within your annual appraisal and revalidation and that reflection on the supervisory or assessor role, feedback from students and CPD hours focusing on the PS or PA role may form part of the evidence for your NMC revalidation.
Pre-Registration Nursing Programme Proficiencies, Skills and Procedures
As a practice supervisor or practice assessor you are required by the NMC to have an understanding of proficiencies and programme outcomes you are supporting students to achieve or the student you are assessing is aiming to achieve. Use our resources below to support your continuing professional development.
Online Awareness Session
During this session we aim to increase your awareness of the theory student nurses learn at university and the skills and procedures they must demonstrate to enter the NMC register. In addition, this session will provide an outline of governance processes and resources available to guide Practice Supervisor / Practice Assessor in their role of supporting students to demonstrate specific skills and procedures. This session will provide you with one hour of continuing professional development participatory time for NMC revalidation requirements.
Listen at a time and place convenient to you, our audio podcast featuring your PEF colleagues discussing the role of the practice supervisor and practice assessor in supporting nursing students to demonstrate the proficiencies, skills and procedures required to enter the NMC register.
Staff guide to new NMC Skills and Procedures for student nurses undertaking pre-registration 2020 programmes
The NMC (2018) Future Nurse Standards contain some nursing skills and procedures that were not previously taught or assessed in practice. The Staff Guide to the new NMC skills and procedures (NHSGGC, 2023) will assist you when supporting these students and give you detail of when and how students will be provided with the theoretical underpinning to the skills and procedures and when they are able to undertake them in practice and/or simulation.
Having an awareness of how you can support students with a disability to achieve proficiency is important in your role as their practice supervisor or assessor. Use our resources below to support your continuing professional development.
Online Session
During this session we aim to increase your awareness of reasonable adjustments. We will provide examples of situations that may require reasonable adjustments, the impact these may have on students, and how you as their practice supervisor or assessor can support them within the practice learning environment.
Furthermore, the session also provides you with opportunity to discuss what constitutes a reasonable adjustment, learning development support plans, interim feedback meetings and additional supports available and will provide you with one hour of continuing professional development participatory time for NMC revalidation requirements.
Please note this is a generic session and if you required information on specific topics such as anxiety, dyslexia or religion and culture, please contact your PEF or CHEF.
Reasonable Adjustments in the Practice Setting – NHS Education for Scotland Learning Resource
The aim of this three part, NHS Education for Scotland learning resource is to guide you in your role as PS or PA when you are, or will be, working with a student where reasonable adjustments should be considered to allow the student to safely perform during their practice placement or learning experience with you.
Reasonable adjustments are changes that organisations and people providing services must make if someone’s physical or mental disability puts them at a disadvantage compared with others who aren’t disabled (GOV.UK)
How do reasonable adjustments relate to students?
At the application stage of the programme for the student, the HEI will determine if a student is able to meet the requirements of the programme. That is, will they be able to satisfactorily achieve all NMC proficiencies, skills and procedures taking into account their disability and what, if any, reasonable adjustments can be put in place.
However it is important to note that students may only disclose or be aware that they require a reasonable adjustments once they have already started their training.
Students represent our diverse society and therefore equality and diversity needs for all students must be considered.
What are examples of reasonable adjustments?
Changing the recruitment process so a candidate can be considered for a job
Doing things another way, such as allowing someone with social anxiety disorder to have their own desk instead of hot desking.
Making physical changes to the workplace, like installing a ramp for a wheelchair user or audio-visual fire alarm for a deaf person.
Letting a disabled person work somewhere else, such as on the ground floor for a wheelchair user.
Changing their equipment, for instance providing a special keyboard if they have arthritis.
(Above examples provided by GOV.UK)
What are the legal requirements of reasonable adjustments?
The general definition of disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 is “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to day activities”. The Act defines long-term in this context as having lasted, or being likely to last for at least 12 months or the rest of the person’s life. Substantial is defined as more than minor or trivial.
What types of reasonable adjustments considerations could we have to manage in practice?
Student with dyslexia. One example could be a student that requires some extra time to complete documentation.
Student with religious or cultural needs. One example could be a Muslim student who requests use of a private area to pray.
Student with carer commitments. On example could be a student that has an elderly parent and has carer duties.
Student with anxiety. One example could be a student that suffers from anxiety and finds delivering handovers particularly challenging.
Student who requests flexible working due to childcare commitments. One example could be a single parent who struggles to work nightshift.
Please note that for such examples there are no hard and fast rules. Each request needs to be carefully considered at an individual level and impact on students learning or the areas ability to accommodate have to be carefully considered.
Who can support staff with students requiring reasonable adjustments?
In the first instance your local PEF can support. If you are unsure of who your local PEF is, please check via the NHS GGC Practice Education website.
Link Academic Assessor for your area can also assist.
When would I be made aware that a student has a reasonable adjustment in place?
Students may have a RAP in place before starting their placement. This may have been part of their induction university or put in place during their course. Occasionally a pre placement meeting is required to discuss the student and their reasonable adjustments request.
There is also an opportunity to discuss at the Initial meeting with your student. This should take place within the first 48 hours of starting placement.
Please see the students Practice Education Document.
What if I think my student may require a reasonable adjustment, for example, dyslexia and they are not disclosing?
It is the student’s decision to disclose, however the NMC does recommend that students disclose.
If a student has not disclosed an individual learning requirement/disability and you have a concern about their knowledge or practice, you would follow the same process outlined in the Practice Learning Support Protocol to ensure a fair support and assessment to your students.
What can I do to support my student with a reasonable adjustment?
This would be dependent on what the reasonable adjustment was. It is a good idea to have a learning development support plan in place and review throughout the placement.
The students can link in with their personal tutor to access support services offered by their university.
What about assessing students with a reasonable adjustment in place?
Reasonable adjustments can allow a student with an individual requirement to achieve a competency or meet a standard. However professional standards and competencies must be maintained (NMC, 2019)
It is the students decision and responsibility to disclose they have a specific learning need.
The student can still fail even if they have reasonable adjustments in place if they don’t meet the required standard. There remains a duty to safeguard and protect the public.
What if my student requests flexible working?
Employers must deal with requests in a ‘reasonable manner’
Examples of handling requests in a reasonable manner include:
Assessing the advantages and disadvantages of the application
During this session we aim to provide a general overview of the PAD. In addition to discussing the role of the Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor, this session will provide information and encourage discussion on the topics of student assessment, grading and the proficiencies, skills and procedures that students must achieve, as well as the principles of learning development support planning.
This session will provide you with one hour of continuing professional development participatory time for NMC revalidation requirements.
PAD Resources
Designed by the Practice Education Team, this interactive PAD resource will provide you with information and guidance on how to complete the different sections of the Practice Assessment Document. From recommended timelines for each stage of the student journey, who completes the different sections, to clear and simple examples of evidence needed for each platform.
You might find it useful to access the relevant university/field specific Practice Assessment Document to review a particular section or if you require additional PAD pages these can be printed from the relevant Practice Assessment Document (Please note that NHS Scotland log-in required).
Our grading rubric calculator with worked example demonstrates how to use Glasgow Caledonian University’s grading rubric (Please note that Desktop MS Excel App required).
Learning Development Support Plans are used to support students to meet specific objectives, particularly if they face challenges in achieving level of knowledge and/or skills required by their educational programme or if there are concerns regarding their professional practice. We have compiled a number of sample plans that you can use to help you to write an effective Learning Development Support Plan to support your students to progress in their practice learning environment.
**Coming Soon** Our Learning Development Planning Resource will give you useful information on how to write a LDSP, whose responsibility it is and how to implement them. Use this in conjunction with our assessment and grading terminology document to help you to write an effective LDSP.
Supporting a student with additional competency requirements
**Coming Soon**
This short presentation will give you an insight into ways in which you can support student nurses with additional competency requirements in practice and provide robust assessment.
Audio Podcast
** Coming soon**
Listen to our podcast featuring a practice assessor sharing their experience of supporting a student with additional competency requirements.
This programme is now closed for 2025 entry. Information regarding 2026 entry will be out in December 2025.
Overview
The Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship is an academic programme fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council. It will equip you with the skills and knowledge to tackle real-world challenges in the workplace while working towards an Honours Degree in Business Management.
What is the BA (Hons) Business Management programme?
The BA (Hons) Business Management (Graduate Apprenticeship) is a work-based learning programme which is designed to meet the needs of aspiring managers. This academic programme is delivered by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and the following business management streams are offered for 2025 entry:
Business Management, aligned with Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
Business with HR Management aligned with Chartered Institute of People and Development (CIPD)
Key Benefits
Earn a BA (Hons) in Business Management without leaving your role in the NHSGGC, gaining expertise in leadership, operations, project management, and financial decision-making, tailored to your responsibilities within the NHSGGC.
Enhance your credibility as a healthcare leader while applying your learning directly within the workplace to improve systems and processes within your role.
Develop the confidence and qualifications to progress into leadership roles within the healthcare sector.
Fully funded opportunity, as all tuition fees are covered by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
How it works?
Applicant discussion with line manager on personal development plan
Commencement date; mid September 2025
Duration: 4 years or shorter depending on you prior qualifications and experience through Recognition of Prior Learning (e.g., through either education or work experience) may qualify you for an advanced entry.
Format: a combination of work-based learning, self-directed study, live online classes, and 12 on-campus teaching days per year.
Assessment: this course has no exams. Assessments for each of the 6 modules per level will consist of course work, projects and assignments. This varied approach complements our combination of academic education and practical work experience, providing a comprehensive assessment of apprentices through various means.
Support
You will be guided by GCU academic and professional staff, Learning and Education team and NHSGGC based mentors throughout your learning journey.
Who can attend?
Any aspiring manager who (as part of their PDP) is aiming to move into a management/supervisory role. This programme is also open to any current manager in NHSGGC who is looking to obtain a formal and recognised qualification as part of their CPD.
Entry Requirements/Criteria:
NHSGGC Requirements
You must be compliant with all statutory and mandatory training by the time of submitting your application
Attending on this programme must have been discussed and recorded on your latest/up to date PDP&R by the time of submitting your application
Manager approval/endorsement (Statement of supports will be requested from your line managers stating that they support you, in being provided with the relevant time away from work to attend University and live online classes)
University Requirements
You can check the GCU entry requirements tab, via the links below:
Promotion to register interest; 23rd Dec 2024 – 10th Jan 2025
Information sessions with the NHSGGC and GCU Programme Leads on 22nd Jan 2025 (1400-1500 hours) and 23rd Jan 2025 (1100-1200 hours)
NHSGGC application submission, process and selection; Feb 2025
GCU application submission; open and close; end of Feb/early March 2025
GCU Selection process, March 2025
Confirmation (outcome advised to candidate); April 2025
Commencement date; mid Sep 2025
Last updated: 28/01/2025
This page contains information on funding opportunities and access to live alcohol and drug related consultations for comment.
These will be removed when the funding application or consultation period ends.
Working in our team means you can also access a wide range of other information that may help you and your families to stay healthy, active and connected. Below are some links to a wide range of additional resources on topics like energy at home, travel, sustainability and healthy living.
Public Transport Information
Search door-to-door public transport journey options to NHS healthcare facilities with Public Transport Information
Travel Information For Staff
Travel Information for Staff helps find information, links and various initiatives that makes it cheaper, easier and more environmentally sustainable for staff to travel to and from their place of work and between sites.
Home Energy Scotland
Home Energy Scotland offers free, impartial advice on energy saving, keeping warm at home, renewable energy, greener travel, cutting water waste and more.
If you’re struggling to heat your home, you could be eligible for support from the Scottish Government funded Warmer Homes Scotland programme to help make your home warmer and cosier.
Sustainability
Zero Waste Scotland has the facts to help everyone end the climate crisis by wasting less and making things last instead.
Stop Smoking Support
Stop Smoking Support – Quit Your Way services offer free information, advice and support, including nicotine replacement therapy, to those who want to stop smoking.
Maintaining a healthy weight or losing some weight has real health benefits.
Active Staff
The Active Staff Programme was set up to protect and promote health in the workplace by providing a range of free opportunities for all NHSGGC/HSCP staff to engage in activities that support good mental and physical health.
