Reasonable Adjustment Service (Oxfordshire)

What we do

The Reasonable Adjustment Service (RAS) is an advisory and liaison service working across Oxfordshire for people who are 18 and over.

The RAS Team aims to reduce barriers and improve accessibility for autistic people and people with learning disabilities to receive the support they need from Oxford Health Mental Health Services and Adult social care.

Why is it necessary?

Under the Equality Act (2010), services must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.

Reasonable adjustments mean making changes to services so that they are accessible. The RAS team aims to support clinicians to implement and achieve this.

Working with professionals

We offer advice to professionals within Oxford Health Mental Health Services services, or social services, on reasonable adjustments they could make to better accommodate autistic adults (or adults suspected to be autistic) and people with learning disabilities who they are working with.

We know that autistic people, along with other neurodivergent people, will access mental health and social care services. Therefore, the RAS team also work on a wider level with these services and pathways, looking at neurodivergent informed anticipatory adjustments, where they can adapt their approach for all.

If you are a clinician and would like advice, please email: reasonableadjustmentservice@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Getting support

Key eligibility criteria

Autistic or suspected to be autistic.
And/or have a diagnosis of or suspected to have a learning disability.
Registered with a GP in Oxfordshire
Referred to, on a waiting list or receiving support from an Oxford Health Mental Health Services or Adult Social Care
18 years old or older
Not currently receiving support from the Community Learning Disability Team

Key things we can support with

We can provide advice and work with clinicians within Oxford Health Mental Health services and Adult Social Care on making services more accessible for you by supporting them to implement reasonable adjustments.
We can create an autism alert for clinicians, so they are aware that you are neurodivergent and require adjustments. We can also upload your hospital passport or neurodiversity passport, so clinicians know what adjustments you need.
If you are unsure what reasonable adjustments you need for a specific service, we can support you to identify this by supporting you to complete a neurodiversity passport.
Once identified, we can support with liaising and communicating these adjustments to the service.

If you think you could benefit from input from the Reasonable Adjustment Service, please ask your key worker or social worker to email: reasonableadjustmentservice@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Non-urgent advice: Neurodiversity Passport

The Neurodiversity Passport is designed to help neurodivergent people communicate their needs to professionals in their primary care team and community settings, and to support the implementation of reasonable adjustments in these settings.

The passport was developed by the Reasonable Adjustment Service, the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board and neurodivergent people who have used Oxford Health services. This piece of work was led by Simon Tarrant (ICB) and Robyn Darby (Oxford Health).

Download a copy of the Neurodiversity Passport

What to do next

You can either:

complete the passport online
print it out and complete in writing.

Your key worker or professional from your primary care team can upload your passport to your care record for professionals to see. They should also add an ‘alert’ to your record, to direct professionals to read this document.

If you are not currently open to an Oxford Health Mental Health service, but would like this information to be uploaded proactively to your care record, please email a copy to reasonableadjustmentservice@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk and include your name, date of birth and NHS number. We will also add an ‘alert’ to flag that you are neurodivergent and adjustments are required.

Reasonable adjustment checklists

It can sometimes be difficult to know what reasonable adjustments may be helpful or what could be put in place. These checklists were developed to be a resource to help you think about and plan what reasonable adjustments might be helpful and supportive.

Autism assessment process for adults in Oxfordshire

You can self-refer: Self-referral Process – OAADSS
Or you can ask your GP to make a referral Referral Process for GP patients – OAADSS

Autism assessment process for people under Adult Mental Health Team (AMHT)

If you are over 18 and would like to be referred for an autism assessment in Oxfordshire, there is a different referral process if you are accessing Adult or Older Adult Mental Health Teams (AMHT). These referrals are processed by the Reasonable Adjustment Service.

How to make AMHT referrals

Please ask your key worker or clinician to contact the Reasonable Adjustment Service to support with your referral.

Autism at Kingwood is unable to accept self-referrals or referrals from your GP if you are open to the AMHT. This is due to a commissioning arrangement.

All referrals from AMHT to Kingwood must be processed by the Reasonable Adjustment Service.

Post diagnostic support

ASPiration service is for adults diagnosed with Autism within Oxfordshire. They provide post-diagnostic support, information and resources. Support that can be provided:

Structured learning workshops
Social groups
One-to-one support (this is short-term and SMART goal orientated)

To self-refer directly to ASPirations:

Email aspiration@kingwood.org.uk directly with the referral form
You can find the referral form and more information here: Support from ASPiration – OAADSS

Page last reviewed: 20 June, 2024

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