Robyn Darby

Mental Health Liaison Nurse for Learning Disability and Autism, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Our team works across the county with other professionals from our trust and the county council, working with autistic adults and anyone thought to have autism. My role is to offer consultations and support for professionals working with autistic individuals, who require advice or support around reasonable adjustments or their ASD needs.

I also provide specific interventions, such as holistic nursing assessment, offering long-term support to care coordinators when necessary to implement our recommendations. I often complete pieces of work with the autistic individual e.g. zones of regulation education, spoon theory and pacing and prioritisation. I offer bespoke training to teams in our trust on amongst other things, communication. I support the Care and Treatment Review (CTR) process, and actively participate in emergency protocol meetings and support the implementation of recommendations, as well as offering support to the mental health ward from an reasonable adjustment point of view.

I am keen to develop my leadership skills. In my current role, as a liaison nurse, I offer support and mentoring to colleagues from different professions and teams working with an autistic adult. This is something I am always looking to develop and enhance, to ensure I am offering the best support to the professional and ensure the best outcomes for the individual and their families. I would like to develop my confidence and awareness of my leadership skills, as in my role I work across a large area, and therefore with many different teams/professionals, and am building up a professional rapport with many professionals. I am looking forward to sharing my experience as a FoNS Fellow with my team and colleagues in our trust’s band 5 peer support group, and taking forward my own career.