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New autism and disability training at Aston University aims to close gaps in healthcare

In partnership with NHS England, the University is equipping future clinicians with the skills to deliver inclusive care

Aug 29, 2025

3 min

Dr Amreen Bashir


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Aston University is leading a national shift in healthcare education with the rollout of Tier 1 of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT) — a pioneering initiative developed by NHS England to improve support for individuals with autism and learning disabilities.


Oliver McGowan was an 18-year-old with autism and learning disabilities who died in 2016 after a bad reaction to medication for epileptic seizures, which both he and his parents had requested should not be given after a previous bad reaction. Oliver's death was ruled 'avoidable' and revealed serious gaps in training for medical professionals caring for those with autism and learning difficulties. Oliver's mother Paula set up a foundation to campaign for appropriate training, and in 2022, an UK act of parliament mandated learning disability and autism training for all healthcare staff registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This is now being introduced.


The evaluation of the project at Aston University is being led by Dr Amreen Bashir, senior lecturer in biomedical science, in close collaboration with Dr Mary Drozd, senior teaching fellow in nursing and Dr Jayne Murphy, associate professorial teaching fellow in nursing. Aston is one of the first universities in the UK to implement this training across undergraduate healthcare programmes, including Nursing, Biomedical Science, Pharmacy, Optometry, and Physician Associate Studies.


“Our students not only gained new knowledge, but they were vocal about the importance of this training staying in the curriculum permanently,” said Dr. Bashir.


Student feedback highlights the transformative impact of the training:


“I will use the training to ensure the patient care I provide is accommodating to people with special needs and will offer reasonable adjustments when needed. I understand autism and learning difficulties are not like other disabilities which are commonly physically noticed and that they may me hidden.”


“The most useful aspect of the Oliver McGowan training is its focus on real-life experiences shared by individuals with autism and learning disabilities. These personal insights help to contextualise the challenges they face, making the training relatable and impactful.”


“It opened my eyes as to how even within people who are practising and have already been working in clinical settings lack the understanding on how to care and approach those with autism and/or learning disabilities. It shouldn’t have got to a stage where what happened with Oliver happened and I am glad I have had this training so that I know what I can do as a healthcare professional in these situations. My previous job as a support worker also helped as I worked with service users who had autism and learning disabilities as well as physical disabilities and so this training assisted the knowledge I had already gained.”


Measuring the impact

A total of 176 students completed the pre-intervention survey and 94 students completed the survey post-OMMT. Participants were drawn from Nursing, Biomedical Science, Physician Associate Practice, Optometry, and Pharmacy at Aston University.


How the training works

Tier 1 of the OMMT consists of two parts: a 90-minute e-learning session completed independently, followed by a one-hour live interactive webinar co-facilitated by trained professionals and experts by experience. This format allows for reflective discussion and a deeper understanding of autism and learning disabilities through real-world perspectives. Post-training surveys measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions.


Early results

Students showed significantly improved understanding of autism and learning disabilities, as well as greater sensitivity toward tailoring communication to individual needs. The training also identified critical areas for further attention, such as the role of ethnicity in healthcare access and the impact of silent conditions like constipation, which can go undetected and lead to preventable harm.


The findings will be presented at the upcoming 'Horizons in STEM' higher education conference, which is being hosted at Aston University, with a manuscript currently in preparation for peer-reviewed publication.


By embedding OMMT into its core curricula, Aston University is setting a benchmark for inclusive healthcare education across the UK.


To follow this research or explore collaboration on the OMMT initiative, contact:

Dr Amreen Bashir – a.bashir6@aston.ac.uk

Dr Mary Drozd – m.drozd@aston.ac.uk

Dr Jayne Murphy – j.murphy5@aston.ac.uk


Connect with:
Dr Amreen Bashir

Dr Amreen Bashir

Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

Dr Bashir's research interests include clinical microbiology and environmental microbiology.

Clinical MicrobiologyAntimicrobial ResistanceBacteria Found in FoodMake Up ProductsFood and Water Microbiology

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