Friday 29 March 2024
 6°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Penelope wins national autism award

Penelope Clark.

A SHETLAND community liaison nurse has won a top prize at this year’s Autism Professionals Awards.

Penelope Clark won the outstanding healthcare professional award at the national event, which was held in Harrogate last week.

The NHS Shetland employee, who was unable to attend the ceremony in person, said she was “overwhelmed and overjoyed” at her win.

Penelope is a community liaison nurse for learning disabilities and autism and she works with a range of services including supported living and outreach, day centres, respite services, children’s nurses, schools and social workers, as well as individuals and their families.

She has also “changed the referral process so people can refer direct, cutting down waiting times and worry”.

Penelope moved to Shetland in 2017 and since then she has strived to make improvements for locals.

“It’s a real honour to win this award, and to be recognised for what we are trying to achieve in Shetland,” she said.

“It was a big decision to move my whole family 800 miles for this role but it really feels like we’re making progress and improving opportunities for autistic people and their families.

“I strongly believe in positive outcomes and have seen the difference understanding and the right support can make. I always support individuals and their families to embrace their diagnosis as something positive – as something that can help them to understand themselves and to get the support they need to live fulfilling lives.”

In addition, Penelope started a regular learning disability and autism meeting, which brings professionals and third sector workers together.

She also works with the local health improvement team on training and raising funds to promote awareness and the health of those with autism and learning disabilities in Shetland.

Director of the National Autistic Society’s Centre for Autism Carol Povey commented: “Support and services in the UK are still far too patchy.

“We hope that sharing the stories of our winners and finalists, including Penelope’s, we will inspire other people and organisations – and give them some ideas about how they can make a real difference.”

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.