Autism and Asperger’s services – have your say

Views are being sought on a strategy to support people of all ages with Autism and Asperger’s, their families and carers.

In Oxfordshire there are around 6,800 people on the autistic spectrum. People with autism experience difficulty with social communication, social interaction and social imagination.

The draft four-year plan has been developed by the NHS, county council, organisations that work with people of all ages with Autism and Asperger’s and people with Autism and their families.

Members of the Oxfordshire Autism Partnership Board, which represents people with autism, carers, commissioners, providers and partners, have highlighted unmet needs and desirable service improvements. The strategy addresses these issues and builds on some improvements which have been made in services and support for people with autism in Oxfordshire in recent years.

The strategy proposes six strategic objectives which are:

• Diagnosis and signposting: achieve timely diagnosis and offer access to information, advice and a personalised approach to options for support for all those diagnosed, setting out clear pathways.
• Support for children and families: ensure all children and young people with autism and those who interact with them can benefit from expert advice and support whilst living in or near their family home.
• Fulfilling lives: develop a range of local specialist support services to enable adults with autism to live fulfilling lives, with a particular focus on supporting participation in meaningful activities including employment.
• Training and awareness: promote greater awareness of autism to encourage social acceptance and to enable staff who are likely to interact with people with autism to operate more effectively.
• Sustainable approach: ensure Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group can demonstrate delivery of these objectives and are managing effectively with the money available.

County Councillor Arash Fatemian, Cabinet member for Adult Services, said: “It is important that we get the views of the people that use or need the services we provide to support people with autism or Asperger’s as what they tell us will shape the future.”

Stephen Richards, Chief Clinical Officer at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with the county council and a wide variety of stakeholders to develop the Oxfordshire Joint Autism strategy.

“This is an opportunity to tell us what you think is most important and how we can best use the resources available to work in a better, more integrated way to improve people’s lives. We want to hear from many more families and people with Autism and Aspergers to help us make sure our plans for the coming years are in line with what you tell us is needed.”

Once the consultation is complete, the feedback will be used to inform an action plan which will then be implemented from April of this year. The Oxfordshire Autism Partnership Board will have a key role in monitoring its implementation.

To take part in the consultation online go to: http://bit.ly/ZWwTjK or, for paper copies, contact Julia Stackhouse, Communications and Engagement Co-ordinator, NHS Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Cluster, Tel: 01865 334638. The consultation closes on 15 Feb 2013.