Specsavers staff across the city have now completed their training with the National Autistic Society to help them better support any customers with autism.
The company aims to educate their staff about the condition which will allow them to treat their customers and carers with greater understanding. The staff will also know how the environment in their stores might affect someone with autism, and particularly how to best communicate with them.
Craig Daker, store director at Specsavers Gyle Centre, says: ‘Autism affects more than one in 100 people1 and as our store is such a big part of the community, it is vital that we are able to communicate and support someone with the condition in the most effective way possible.
‘Many members of the team have already completed the different learning modules. We are very proud to be involved in support The National Autistic Society and we hope this training will help make the optical experience easier for people who are living with the condition.’
Joe Alubaid, operations manager at Specsavers Morningside, says: ‘The training opened my eyes to the challenges autistic people and their carer’s experience and we are introducing modifications for the patient journey to help with this.
‘There are many different forms of autism, and by gaining a greater understanding of our client’s needs we can make the experience more enjoyable and stress free.’
The National Autistic Society’s business development manager, Sharlene Wright, says: ‘This has been a great opportunity for us to increase awareness of autism in partnership with an organisation that is proactively seeking to enable autistic people to have a positive experience in its stores. It has been an inspiring collaboration and The National Autistic Society welcomes the open attitudes and minds with which Specsavers is seeking to enhance the lives of people on the autism spectrum.’
Staff members at Specsavers in Cameron Toll, Corstorphine, Gyle, Leith, Morningside, Musselburgh, Shandwick Place and Fort Kinnaird have now completed the training.
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