Autism assessment waiting list project
NHS Devon and local health providers have been working together to ensure that children and young people, who are waiting for an autism assessment, receive this as soon as possible.
Looking Ahead
Thanks to the efforts of our project teams and dedicated practitioners across the providers, we can report that we have successfully increased the number of clinics and appointments available.
Key actions taken to address waiting lists
- Increased Workforce: Additional staff members have been brought in to aid both business support functions and clinic operations, ensuring that more patients are seen without compromising care quality.
- Joint Clinics: Services are working together to do a joint assessment if a child is waiting for assessments on more than one neurodevelopmental pathway.
- Additional Clinics: Holding additional clinics, including out of hours clinics.
- New ways of working: Where there are several children in the same school waiting for an assessment, we will work with the SENCO to start the diagnostic process at the same time. This means that observations and reviews can be undertaken for many children in one location in the same day. This has been trialled in two schools and will be reviewed and rolled out in other schools.
- Partnership working: Where children are known to more than one service, providers are working together to collate relevant information and identify where further consultation or assessments are required to make a diagnostic decision.
While positive progress has been made, NHS Devon and health providers are committed to continuing this work and are focused on reducing waiting lists. Our goal is to ensure that those waiting for an autism assessment have access to the care they need, when they need it.
For further information on the project and to read the FAQ’s, please visit Autism assessment waiting list project – Children and Family Health Devon
If you have additional questions about the project, you can contact the relevant local health provider using the below details:
Devon & Torbay area: Email: CFHD.NeuroProject@nhs.net or Tel: 01803 222454
Please do not contact the CFHD Single Point of Access Team or CFHD Neurodiversity Duty Line for questions about this project.
Plymouth area: Email: plh-tr.ascpathway@nhs.net
Support while you wait
While waiting for an assessment, there are many resources available to support parents, carers, and children or young people. You can find this information on the CFHD website: Support while you wait: Autism resources – Children and Family Health Devon
Neurodiversity Navigators
In January this year, CFHD and Livewell introduced the role of Neurodiversity Navigators for the whole Devon area.
The Navigator roles are to provide support and guidance to Families and Young People that are on waiting lists for a neurodevelopmental diagnosis or those presenting with neurodivergent needs across the entire Devon footprint (including Plymouth and Torbay). They can provide some general guidance and support to access services that are already available. They can provide information and, if needed, they can provide practical support for people to complete forms and attend workshops etc. For those unable to access these resources, the Navigators are adaptable to provide individual advice and guidance around their presenting needs, for example issues with sleep, school difficulties, low level anxieties, and promote positive behaviour strategies.
Neurodiversity Navigator Key roles:
- Support with navigating the complex networks of health, education, social care, community and voluntary services
- A listening ear for all
- Informed Advice and Guidance
- Connecting people to community groups, parent/carer forums and statutory services for practical and emotional support
- Support completing forms
- Targeted support with simple personalised support plans
- Advocate when required, but not in place of other advocacy services
For more information regarding Neurodiversity Navigators, please contact livewell.devonndnavigators@nhs.net