Recommendations for mental health provision in NHS for autistic people and people with learning disabilities
Families met at Downing Street to discuss the treatment of autistic children and children with learning disabilities with mental health needs whilst under the care of the NHS with the Health and Social Care Committee. The report highlights several recommendations including:
- The government should provide investment to provide community support for all autistic people and people with learning disabilities currently in inpatient units.
- Redesign of the financial incentives so that local authorities do not ‘offload’ autistic people and people with learning disabilities onto the NHS.
- Implementation of the Trieste model of care and all new long-term admissions to institutions should be banned except for forensic cases.
- Weekly reviews for those who have been in units for three months or more to determine the suitability of these placements and where deemed community placement would be advised, seek funding to ensure this takes place within eight weeks.
- Proceed with removing the definition of autism as a ‘disorder’ in the mental health legislation reforms.
- Putting autistic people and people with learning disabilities and their families at the heart of their care and treatment planning.
- An analysis into the speed at which autism is diagnosed and puts in place a strategy to increase early diagnosis by April 2022.
