CHILDREN WITH SUSPECTED AUTISM WAIT OVER 19 WEEKS FOR FIRST MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS

New data has suggested that some patients who are thought to have autism have waited around four months to have their first mental health appointments. This is despite the government’s advice that people suspected to have the condition should be assessed by mental health services within three months of being referred to ‘avoid impairing an individual’s development and placing pressure on families and carers.’ NHS trusts said the waits were caused by an “unprecedented demand” following newly-published statistics showing patients at 10 out of 25 English health trusts waited an average of 137 days after referral – against a target of 91 days – in spring 2018. Jane Harris from the National Autistic Society (NAS) said: “Long waits can be traumatic for autistic children, adults and their families, who are often already vulnerable.” “For the first time – after years of campaigning – we have NHS statistics on how long children and adults are waiting for an autism assessment in England,” she said. “It’s an important first step but the data itself is deeply disappointing,” she added. The NAS had been asking for a detailed breakdown of waiting times but said the newly released figures were “simply not good enough to give a clear picture of how long children and adults are waiting for an autism diagnosis across the country.” Indeed, these average waiting times relate only to around 1,430 out of 5,200 patients. “We’ve been calling for national autism diagnosis data for years, because that’s how we can make sure that services are meeting needs and accountable to autistic people and their families. But what’s been published isn’t enough to give us the national picture at all,” Harris said. Southern Health Trust, which operates in Hampshire, reported an average waiting time of 221 days for patients in spring 2018. They said the demand for services had grown by more than 20% since 2015. “Whilst we have received a slight increase in funding during this time, the increased awareness of autism and subsequent demand has not resulted in as big a reduction in our waiting lists as we’d hoped,” said Rob Guile from the trust. “We agree that the current waiting times are not acceptable for local people,” he added.