National Autism Training Programme for Psychiatrists (NATPP)

The NATPP is open to psychiatrists working in the NHS in England including:

• consultant psychiatrists
• SAS psychiatrists
• resident doctors in Higher Training.

Participation in NATPP enables psychiatrists to:

• develop specialist knowledge in autism assessment and care
• improve confidence in managing complex presentations
• apply neuroaffirmative and person-centred approaches
• engage with a national community of practice
• contribute to service development and quality improvement.

The programme supports participants to:

• demonstrate increased knowledge and understanding of autism
• apply evidence-informed approaches within clinical practice
• recognise and respond to the needs of autistic people more effectively
• reflect critically on their professional practice
• improve confidence when working with autistic patients and their families
• translate learning into meaningful changes within workplace settings. 

• eLearning modules (16 modules) 
• 2 Live webinars (including induction and final sessions) 
• a mid-course face-to-face learning event in London
• mentorship and community of practice 
• reflective assessment.

Learner commitment

This programme requires approximately 50–70 hours of learning throughout its duration.

Designed to be flexible and compatible with clinical workloads, while ensuring meaningful learning and application in practice. 

• provide protected learning time
• support attendance at webinars and the face-to-face learning event
• enable engagement with mentorship and reflective practice
• recognise the programme as part of professional development
• encourage application of learning within clinical settings.

The programme requires approximately 50–70 hours over the duration.

This includes eLearning, webinars, a face-to-face learning day, mentorship and reflective assessment.

Indicative time commitment

• Explain what neurodevelopmental disorders are, how they overlap and their possible causes. 
• Outline the way in which the concept of autism has changed over the years since Kanner first noted it. 
• List the key features of autism from the ICD-11 classification. 

• Describe the autism spectrum and the differing strengths and needs profiles of autistic people. 
• Discuss the current and previous classifications of autism and the point at which traits become a condition. 
• Identify a range of traits, features or characteristics that autistic people might have, while recognising that there is no pathognomonic for autism. 
• Differentiate between the presentation of autism in men and women.  
• Outline some of the theories about aetiology. 

• Use neuroaffirmative language appropriately and in line with each person’s preferences. 
• Differentiate between medical and social models of describing autism and say why the difference matters to autistic people 
• Outline the experiences of autistic women and girls and why many may have been misdiagnosed, or late diagnosed, or not considered to be autistic. 

• Outline the general prevalence of autism and its prevalence within specific clinical populations / co-occurring conditions.  
• Differentiate between prevalence from studies and from diagnosis. 
• Recognise the limitations of the evidence base.  

• Identify how communication with autistic people may be different.  
• Suggest ways in which you can communicate more effectively. 
• Consider the barriers to accessing healthcare that autistic people face and devise strategies to help them overcome those difficulties. 
• Implement adjustments to booking, waiting for, attending and following up interviews that will improve the experience and outcomes for autistic people.  

• Make a clinical diagnosis of autism using international classifications and diagnostic formulation.  
• State the different areas that should be assessed and how to adapt these for each individual. 
• Explore the desire for and potential consequences of a diagnosis; help the person to decide whether to proceed and obtain their consent.  
• Describe the various diagnostic instruments, schedules, tools and guides that can support the process of diagnosis and note any reservations about their use.  

• Recognise the features of autism that may lead to a diagnosis and how each individual presents differently  
• Consider sources of information other than the individual which may enhance the formulation. 

• Identify the range of neurodevelopmental conditions and physical conditions that are likely to co-occur with autism.  
• Appreciate the impact of these conditions on the individual’s experience of being autistic, and also the impact of being autistic on the presentation / treatment of these conditions.  

• Identify the range of mental health disorders that are likely to co-occur with autism.  
• Differentiate between mental health conditions and autism. 
• Apply appropriate treatments for these conditions in autistic people.  

• Undertake a mental state examination for an autistic person, understanding the ways in which it might differ to one for a non-autistic person.  

• Explain how assessing capacity in autistic people may differ.  
• Indicate difficulties that autistic people may have in being able to provide consent and what can be done to assist them.  
• Summarise the risks that autism poses to the individual, the risks that they may be exposed to from other people and the risks that occasionally present to other people. 
• Evaluate the risk of suicide effectively. 
• Use an appropriate process to assess and manage risk.  

• Explain why the detention of autistic people under the Mental Health Act can be particularly stressful for them.  
• Apply the principles of interviewing and reasonable adjustments to the assessment process.  
• Outline the changes being proposed by the Mental Health Bill and its consequences for the care of autistic people.  

• Explain the statutory obligation to make reasonable adjustments to services for autistic people.  
• Identify the range of possible adjustments that autistic people may find beneficial 
• Implement specific changes to your clinical approach / service / environment to accommodate individual needs.  
• Appreciate the differing sensory experiences of autistic people and adjustments that could be made to mitigate some issues arising from them. 

• Apply biopsychosocial models to understand each individual. 
• Discuss the impact of trauma on autistic people.  
• Adapt psychological therapeutic approaches to accommodate the needs of autistic people. 
• Outline the benefits of psychoeducation in helping autistic people to live full and happy lives.  
• Direct people to other sources of support, whether formal or informal.   

• Detail the impact of being autistic on the experience of engaging with the criminal justice system. 
• Explain how some autistic people can get drawn into offending behaviour.  
• Outline ways in which the risks of offending behaviour can be mitigated and interventions that can help. 
• Summarise the vulnerabilities that may predispose autistic people to specific offence types.  

Name the key legal statutes and strategic publications that presently exert influence over the care and treatment of autistic people within the National Health Service.