We want adult autistics and carers of adult autistics, who are unable to represent themselves, involved at all levels in the planning and provision of care and services.
We want to ensure that central government’s guidance on services for autistic adults is fully implemented at a local level.
Currently the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership Trust and the local authority are not following the explicit guidance for the provision of services and care for adult autistics contained in guidance for the Directors’ of Adult Social Services and "Better Services for People With an Autistic Spectrum Disorder", both published by the Department of Health. Neither are there alternative mechanisms in place to meet the needs of adult autistics.
This situation is a disgrace given the Trust’s status as a Cambridge University Teaching Trust. We call on the University and staff from its Autism Research Centre to support us in our aims, particularly with respect to our wish to see adult autistics at the heart of the planning and implementation of care and services.
We Want... ...
TO ESTABLISH AN AUTISM SERVICES DEVELOPMENT GROUP
We want a working group formed from representatives from the autistic community, the University, local government and the Mental Health Trust, to establish what research is needed to properly assess the situation in Cambridgeshire.
We need to establish the number of adult autistics that have health and social care needs.
We need to find out what these needs are and how they can be met.
We have to assess the requirements for staff education and training.
We need to look at current examples of good practice in the provision of services for autistic adults and use this information to plan and implement Cambridgeshire’s services.
From the experience of other local authorities and health trusts we expect to find the need for:
A system to accurately record the number of adult autistics.
The needs of adult autistics to be included in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.
Well defined care pathways for adult autistics, from diagnosis to after and continuing care.
Comprehensive and on-going staff education and training in ASD’s.
There should be autism specific employment services.
There should be social and life skills training.
There should be autism specific befriending and social programmes.
TO ESTABLISH AN AUTISM SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Once the service framework is established, there should be a standing committee set up to monitor and improve the provision of services, with a senior named individual from the Trust taking responsibility for the process.
In the Trust’s response to the Foundation Trust consultation process,
The Department of Health told the Trust:
"[We] recommend [the] Trust work with partners to identify and address gaps in provision for adults and children with ASD’s."
The Trust responded:
" The further development of services for this client group has been identified as a service development priority for the Trust... ..."
Despite this, there is no mention of ASD's in the draft Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.
cAsA believes that, particularly in respect for High Functioning / Asperger’s Syndrome, it is all ‘gap’ and no ‘services’.
We have written to the Department of Health expressing our concerns in this matter. A copy of the letter will appear on our blog shortly.
14.04.2008