More frontline colleagues across our mental health services are strengthening their knowledge and skills to better support autistic people, thanks to the rollout of a groundbreaking autism training programme.
50 healthcare professionals from across Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust have already completed the National Autism Trainer Programme (NATP), with further training to be released to colleagues in the coming weeks.
Commissioned by NHS England and delivered in-house by our autism assessment team within the Children and Young People’s division, this nationally recognised programme was developed by experts from the mental health charity Anna Freud and AT-Autism, in partnership with autistic people.
The training aims to help professionals adapt their practice and work more effectively with autistic people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the programme as inspiring and energising – motivating them to bring new approaches and ideas back into their clinical practice and service areas.
Published: 1 April 2026
