Neurodiversity
Last updated: August 2026
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On this page…
- Definitions
- Library resources
- Guidance and strategy
- Supporting neurodivergent patients
- Neurodiversity in the workplace
- Organisations
- Videos
Definitions
- Neurodiversity: A way of describing the natural differences and diversity across human brains.
- Neurodiverse: A group of people with differing neurocognitive experiences. For example, a team with neurodivergent and neurotypical members would be neurodiverse. Sometimes, people use ‘neurodiverse’ when they mean ‘neurodivergent’ – an individual (e.g. an autistic person) or a group of people with the same experience (e.g. a group of people with ADHD) can’t be described as neurodiverse.
- Neurodivergence: “Having a ‘neurocognitive’ experience (to do with how information is processed by the brain) that ‘diverges’ from (is different to) what is considered typical.” (National Autistic Society). There isn’t a defined list of neurodivergences, but commonly included are: autism; ADHD; learning disabilities; dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia; Tourette’s syndrome; epilepsy; OCD; mental health conditions; developmental conditions; and brain injury.
- Neurodivergent: People who experience and interact with the world differently to what is considered ‘typical’. Example: Autism is an form of neurodivergence, autistic people are neurodivergent.
- Neurotypical: People who aren’t neurodivergent, who experience and interact with the world in what is considered the ‘typical’ way.
Sources
- National Autistic Society: Autism and neurodiversity.
- Royal College of Nursing: What is neurodiversity?
- Nick Walker: Neurodiversity: Some basic terms and definitions.
Library resources
The library has a wide selection of books and e-books on neurodiversity and neurodivergences. Search the catalogue at the link below. Any books not in stock we can often borrow from another library, just ask!
Click on the book covers above to view the item in the library catalogue.
Guidance and strategy
- East Cheshire NHS Trust: Learning Disability and Autism Strategy 2025-2028.
- NICE Guidance:
- NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries:
- House of Commons Library: Autism policy and services: Health and social care (Published April 2025).
Supporting neurodivergent patients
- NHS England: How to support autistic people – a guide for GP practice staff (Published September 2017).
- NHS England: Making information and the words we use accessible.
- NHS England: Supporting autistic people and people with a learning disability to live well in their communities (Published July 2026).
- Don’t Forget The Bubbles: Communicating with neurodivergent patients – communicating with children and young people (Updated April 2024).
- Healthwatch: The challenges neurodivergent people face receiving care (Published August 2023).
- Bild: Resources for those supporting people with learning disabilities.
- Easy Health: Easy read health information leaflets and videos.
- Change People: Easy read resources including leaflets about the Accessible Information Standard.
- East Cheshire Council: Autism support organisations and groups in Cheshire.
Neurodiversity in the workplace
Resources for neurodivergent staff and students
- NHS England: Guide to Practice-Based Learning for Neurodivergent Students.
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists: Support for neurodivergent SLTs.
- Royal College of Nursing (RCN): Support for neurodivergent nursing staff.
- Autistic Doctors International: An online community of autistic medical doctors.
- The Brain Charity: Free help and resources – includes topics like workplace rights and legal advice.
- Goblin Tools: A collection of tools that help to break down tasks, including creating to-do lists, checking texts for tone, estimating activities’ timeframes, and more.
- Unlocking ADHD: Workplace resources.
- British Medical Association (BMA): Disabilities, long-term conditions and neurodiversity (DLN) member network.
- Autistic Girls Network: Knowledge base with resources for autistic women and autistic LGBTQIA+ people, and on self-advocacy in the workplace.
- Neurodiversity UK: ADHD Access to Work support group.
Supporting neurodivergent colleagues
- NHS England: Making meetings accessible.
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists: Support for those working with or managing neurodivergent colleagues.
- NHS England Nursing and Midwifery Workforce: The development of a Neurodiversity Toolkit to support Neurodivergent learners and those in practice supporting them (sign in with your NHS Athens account to access the toolkit).
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: Neuroinclusion at work.
- ACAS: Reasonable adjustments are work – adjustments for neurodiversity.
Organisations
- ADHD UK
- ADHD Adult UK
- British Dyslexia Association
- British Institute of Learning Disabilities (Bild)
- Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
- Mencap
- Mind
- National Autistic Society
- OCD UK
- Space4Autism (Macclesfield-based)
- Tourettes Action