This resource supports nurses in providing inclusive care for neurodivergent patients across clinical settings. It covers common conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and Tourette’s, offering practical strategies to improve communication, adapt environments and make reasonable adjustments. Emphasising person-centred care, the guide highlights the importance of recognising individual strengths and sensory needs, while promoting awareness, equity and accessibility in health care.

• The principles of neurodiversity in nursing practice
• What is neurodiversity?
• Importance of understanding neurodiversity in nursing
• Intersectionality and neurodiversity

Understanding neurodivergent conditions is essential for nurses to provide equitable, person-centred care. Being able to recognise signs, adapt communication, and tailor support strategies can significantly improve health outcomes and patient experience.

• Clinical relation to nursing
• Clinical causes
• Signs, awareness and assessments
• Strengths in neurodiversity

This section will focus on the different neurodiverse conditions, considering difficulties, strengths and helpful strategies for each condition.

• Neurodiverse conditions
• ADHD
• Dyslexia
• Dyscalculia
• Dyspraxia
• Autism
• Tourette's Syndrome

Effective communication in health care begins with a person-centred approach that adapts to the specific needs of everyone. Developing a communication plan tailored to the patient's preferred methods and sharing this with the entire health care team is vital.

• Communication in the clinical environment
• Supporting patients who are neurodivergent
• Step It Up Approach

To ensure patients feel comfortable and safe within the clinical setting, it is important that the design or flow of practice sites consider cognitive inclusivity. The human brain is complex, and its function relies heavily on connections between different brain regions to maximise cognitive awareness. Therefore it is important to consider the environment across different clinical settings focusing on the individual and their individual needs.

• Primary and secondary care
• Sensory processing and neurodiversity
• Adapting primary health care settings
• Adapting secondary health care settings
• Scheduling and appointments

Uncertainty is an inherent part of life, but it can be particularly stressful when managing long-term conditions. For people with neurodiversity, such as autism or ADHD, uncertainty can stem from heterogeneous mental health levels.

• Key principles for clinical specialisms
• Neurodiversity and cancer
• Neurodiversity and diabetes
• Sick day rules and complications
• Information processing and resource formatting

Reasonable adjustments in the health care setting can significantly enhance the quality of life and care experience for both health care professionals and patients with neurodiversity. These adjustments should be tailored to the individual's specific needs and the demands of their role or condition.

• Reasonable adjustments for patients with neurodiversity
• NHS Accessible Information Standard
• Improving access to health care
• Multiple long-term conditions

Having reviewed the key principles for supporting patients living with neurodiversity in the clinical setting, recognition of neurodiversity needs to be clearer when developing and reviewing health care services.

• Promoting change and equality

• Case studies