RCVS Mind Matters to fund autism research

The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has awarded £20,000 to a research project that will investigate the various workplace stressors that affect autistic veterinary professionals.

Funding comes from the Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant, and is awarded once a year to a research project that explores an aspect of mental health and well-being within the veterinary profession.

Since it launched, the grant has been awarded to various research projects, including last year when two grants were given – one to a joint project from the RVC and the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society.

Workplace stressors

Researchers for the latest project to receive funding hope to identify workplace stressors that affect autistic veterinary professionals and make recommendations for workplace adjustments to help create healthier working environments.

The project will involve an in-depth study with 20 autistic vets to identify factors that contribute to either a “good” or a “difficult” day at work, and then develop ideas for reasonable adjustments that could improve their working day.

Research will also involve a further survey of individuals with autism spectrum conditions within the wider veterinary profession, where the researchers will find out how frequently the workplace characteristics that cause a “good” or a “difficult” day occur, what impact they have on someone’s mental health and to gauge responses to the suggested workplace adjustments.

Guidelines

The researchers will then develop guidelines for workplace adjustments that the sector can adopt to help improve workplace well-being for autistic veterinary professionals.

The findings will also be presented as a report to the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative’s Mental Health Research Symposium and submitted to peer-reviewed journals.

‘Common challenges’

Lead researchers Kirstie Pickles and Brad Hill said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this year’s Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant. We are passionate about raising awareness of autism spectrum condition in the veterinary profession.

“Having both received a diagnosis of autism, we acknowledge that we bring many strengths to the veterinary workplace, but also experience specific challenges. We hope that this project will identify common challenges for autistic vets so that more focused workplace guidance can be recommended.”

Any vets with lived experience of autism who would like to be involved in this study, can contact kirstie.pickles@nottingham.ac.uk or brad.hill@nottingham.ac.uk for further details.