STOMPing out inequality

‘Carl, your calm demeanour made me feel that everything was under control…’  Baroness Sheila Hollins

Modest Carl Shaw, a former Dimensions quality auditor, is now the lead learning disability and autism adviser for STOMP and Ask Listen Do at NHS England. He has shaped and co-designed these projects from the beginning alongside his colleagues, families and organisational partners.

Carl’s journey began at school, where he says he felt ‘stereotyped and overlooked.’ At work, he describes having felt excluded when information is too complicated.

He has learned that he doesn’t need to feel awkward or embarrassed about this because of all the other things he brings to his role. Carl knows and asks for what he needs.

Perhaps that’s why Carl has developed a particular talent for producing communication that makes his projects accessible to all. He challenges his colleagues in a friendly but firm way when they start using clinical language or words that others might find hard to understand! This has had a far-reaching impact on the work of the NHS Learning Disability and Autism Programme that goes way beyond the workstreams he co-leads.

Carl is in great demand as a public speaker at conferences for professionals as well as people and families, including recently speaking alongside Baroness Hollins at the House of Lords.

Carl is happiest when he is busy and making a difference to other people’s lives and this is why his job gives him such a great sense of achievement.

“Publishing information in a way that people can easily understand is so important and it is very uplifting to hear how this candidate is prepared to speak up to tell professionals not to use jargon but to explain more clearly.” – Leaders’ List 2019 Judge