15 March 2022

This Brain Awareness Week our Ability First Network have put together information around top tips on making meetings Neurodiverse friendly. These tips can also be used for appointments with our patients too.

Tips for all meeting types

  • Give plenty of notice for the meeting 
  • Inform staff members what is expected of them during the meeting and if they need to prepare anything in advance  
  • Have a clear agenda with timings. Make sure enough time is booked for the meeting including regular breaks
  • Ask staff members if they need any reasonable adjustments such as the formatting of papers or slides, easy read, audio or film versions of handouts, paper work printed on coloured paper or changing background colours on presentation slides.
  • Share essential reading well in advance of meetings highlighting important parts
  • Give instructions one at a time, slowly and clearly without distractions
  • The chair of the meeting should ensure that only one person talks at a time as someone who is  Neurodiverse can find it harder to recall their point when interpreted and will also find dealing with lots of people taking at once more challenging
  • Avoid interrupting a person who is writing, allow the person to pause and write down what they need to before asking your question or changing topics
  • Share minutes / instructions as soon as possible after the meeting remembering to accommodate for  any reasonable adjustments
  • Ensure there is the opportunity to ask questions after the meeting

In person meetings

  • Make sure there is a quiet space available for the meeting away from distractions such as doors, phones, or loud machinery
  • If you are using a new meeting place give staff members the opportunity to see the meeting room before the meeting
  • Think about room set up, don’t block the exit, make it easy for people to leave if they need to
  • Allow staff members the choice of standing or sitting during meetings

Virtual meetings

  • Record the meeting so team members can watch back afterwards
  • Avoid the use of distracting backgrounds
  • Ask staff members to turn on the audio cancelling function in teams or stay on mute to reduce any distracting background noise
  • Make sure the close caption (subtitles) option is available
  • Ensure that any comments in the chat function are read out verbally
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