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Welsh Government Responds to Sinclairslaw Campaign - NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Welsh Government Responds to Sinclairslaw Campaign - NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The Welsh Government has responded ahead of the English Government to our letter seeking mental health help and support to those with autism and or intellectual disability. We had highlighted before the number of children who we have learned, have been deprived of support from the CAMHS team due to a diagnosis of autism and learning difficulties. Click here to see the letter that Sinclairslaw CEO Michael Charles wrote to Matt Hancock who has not as yet afforded us the courtesy of any reply. Whilst we appreciate that he might have his hands full at the moment with Covid19, there is another consequence of this dreadful pandemic. It is the consequence upon those with who are suffering with their mental health. However we need to develop a series of examples of individual cases to provide evidence to support the point. Many have commented to us on this topic and some of you have produced evidence in replies demonstrating that they have been turned down when they have asked for help because of the autism diagnosis or because of a view that they might have an intellectual disability.

Last year alone according to the Office of National Statistics the standardised rate for suicide was said to be 11 deaths per 100,000 - with males having a higher propensity (16.9 per 100,000 as compared to 5.3 female per 100,000 female). There was a 5.7% increase between 2018 and 2019. These statistics do not of course take into account the 2020/21 pandemic and neither do the figures take into account those who self harm among the various age groups. It is undoubtedly a massive crisis which some report to be edging toward calamity. It was good that the Welsh Government replied, although sad that the English Minister for Health has not yet done so, we will soon ensure that he does.

We however thought that we should share with you what the Welsh Government said;-

“The Welsh Government recognises the importance of parents and their children receiving a timely diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have invested £2million annually to establish multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental teams to assess and diagnose neurodevelopment conditions. In addition, we have introduced a waiting time target of 26 weeks from the first referral to the first face-to-face appointment. We are working with health boards to ensure this target is met, however demand has been higher than expected and as such we are aware that this has been challenging for a number of health boards. To help health boards, we have established a specific work stream to improve neurodevelopment services. To better understand the position across Wales, we will be commissioning a demand and capacity review which will inform the future development of the service.”….

“I wish to reinforce, there should be no exclusion of ASD from CAMHS. Any such exclusion would be a breach of equality laws. Health Boards are also required to follow NICE guidelines for autism. It is appropriate to assess the impact of the core ASD difficulties as it influences the form and nature of support that will work and its likely efficacy.”

Then they asked for case examples – they said:

“If you have examples of individual cases then they should be addressed through the Health Boards. You, with consent, or the individuals and families involved can raise a concern through the ‘NHS Putting Things Right, Raising a concern about the NHS in Wales’ process, on which further information can be accessed here. http://www.wales.nhs.uk/ourser...

OUR CALL FOR EVIDENCE: PLEASE REPLY BY FRIDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 2021.


If you have been denied a mental health service because you or your child has autism please send your story to us in confidence by writing to our Assistant Practice Manager Dan Boxall at d.boxall@sinclairslaw.co.uk.

We are going to compile a series of case studies which we intend to put to the Minister.

We will get change if together we call for it. The suffering has gone on long enough.