NAO calls for improved autism support
Healthcare Market News - offer sufficient levels of support to adults with the condition the National Audit Office (NAO) has said today (5 June).

According to the NAO’s first significant study of autism and the related Asperger’s syndrome, although there are an estimated 400,000 adults in England with some form of the condition the majority of NHS organisations and local authorities do not have commissioning strategies in place to provide specialist support. As a result the country is failing to provide best care outcomes for this minority population.

Explaining that although conditions which feature on the so-called Autistic Spectrum are lifelong disabilities, the report said that there is far from enough being done to ensure that transition support exists for people as they move from children’s services into adult social care. The office said that three quarters of local authorities admit that adults with autism who do not meet social care eligibility criteria are unlikely to find it easy to access any state support, while two thirds of councils confess that current services are ‘limited’.

Quoting research carried out by London’s King’s College, NAO said that autism is estimated to cost the UK economy £28.2bn per year, of this just £2.7m is related to children while the remaining £25.5bn cost covers adults. Breaking down this cost 59% is accounted for by support services with a further 36% through lost employment opportunities. At present just 15%of adult with autism are in full-time employment.

Publishing the report the NAO’s comptroller and auditor general said: ‘Greater awareness of the number of people with autism, as well as better understanding of autism among those providing health, social care, benefits, education and employment services, would lead to improved quality of life for those in the autistic spectrum. Specialist support and joint working across all areas – clinical, social and employment – could improve the transition from childhood to adult services, make services more effective and improve value for money.’

The report makes a series of recommendations ranging from a call that the NHS and councils should produce more robust data on exact number of people requiring support while directors of children’s and adult services should forecast future demands for services by collating and sharing school census information.

Responding to the report, chief executive of the National Autistic Society (NAS) Mark Lever commented: ‘In the current climate the government cannot possibly ignore the huge potential cost savings and benefits identified in providing adults with autism with the right support at the right time.’

To access the full report, Supporting people with autism through adulthood, visit www.nao.org.uk
Justin Merritt (05/06/2009)

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