Autism UK

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A general chat and support community for autistic people in the UK.

Community Rules

Think before you post. Is your post relevant to the community?

Is your post autism-related? Is your post UK-related? If 'yes' to both, please post. If 'no' to either or both, or if you're not sure, please ask.

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'When' because we are each unique, and while there may be some overlap between some of us in our communication styles, there will also be differences.

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This includes (but is not limited to) ableism, racism and colourism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, classism, elitism, religious affiliation, weight stigma / body shaming, and diagnosis status (self-diagnosis is valid). Please think before you post and comment, and be kind to each other.

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Community guidelines:

Accessibility

If your post includes a photo, please add alt text to the photo, or include an image description. If your post includes a screenshot with text, please transcribe the text in your post. If your post or comment includes an acronym or abbreviation, please use the full-length version of it in its first instance. For example:

"Your local IAS (Integrated Autism Service) may be able to help with that. There's a link to IAS is in the sidebar."

"I had to go through my local CMHT (Community Mental Health Team). The CMHT then did a referral."

Exceptions: NSFW (Not Safe For Work) and TW (Trigger Warning) - these are common acronyms across Lemmy; NHS (National Health Service)

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Please respect others' privacy. Please do not reshare anything from this community, without the original poster's permission. Please do not post screenshots of private messages, or screenshots of posts from private communities to this community without the original poster's permission. Please do not send private messages without consent. It is okay to comment, "Can I send you a message?" or "Please feel free to message me about this."

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Related (and potentially relevant) Communities:

!autism@lemmy.world

!autism@lemmy.ml

~~!neurodivergence@beehaw.org ~~ (Beehaw is currently defederated. This means you will need a separate account on Beehaw if you wish to take part in this community.)

!adhd@lemmy.world

!adhdmemes@lemmy.ml

Useful websites:

UK - National Autistic Society

Wales - Gwasanaeth Awtistiaeth Integredig/ Integrated Autism Service

Have I missed something important or useful in this sidebar? Please feel free to send me a message about it!

founded 1 year ago

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NHS cannot meet autism or ADHD demand, report says (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 7 months ago by Emperor to c/autism_uk

1 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The extraordinary rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments in England has overtaken the NHS's capacity to meet it, a think tank says.

Since 2019, there has been a five-fold rise in people waiting to see an autism specialist and a 51% increase in prescriptions for ADHD medication, according to the Nuffield Trust.

Growing backlogs and longer waiting times are negatively impacting people's daily lives, it warned.

It said a "radical rethink" was needed.

...

One out of every 100 people is on the autistic spectrum, it is estimated, while 2.6 million people in the UK have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .

The Nuffield Trust said 24% of patients referred for ADHD in England were having to wait one to two years for an assessment.

On top of this, thousands of people with ADHD have been unable to get prescribed medication amid a major supply shortage. This was announced in September due to "manufacturing issues and an increased global demand".

Meanwhile,172,000 adults and children are on a waiting list for an autism assessment - the highest recorded figure - according to NHS data analysed by the think tank.

Between October and December 2023, the median time spent on a waiting list after an autism referral rose to over nine months, compared with four months in the same period in 2019.

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[–] galmuth 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

The situation is awful currently; there's a definite need for a complete rethink. I'm not sure what the NHS's waiting time measurement is based on, but my anecdotal experience isn't even close. I mean, I'd love to be only waiting 9 months - My son's autism assessment was recently pushed back until around 2026, and we've been waiting for multiple years already since we were referred by a pediatrician.

We only really need the assessment so he gets proper support in school. Ideally there'd be some sort of needs-based occupational health assessment available without the requirement of a diagnosis.