Funds to address autism waiting times has 'not materialised'

Earlier this year the Lancashire Telegraph reported that Lancashire and South Cumbria Intregrated Care Board (ICB) was conducting a 'deep dive' into why waiting times across the disciplines were so long.

In some cases children were waiting more than two years to autism and ADHD assessments, a board meeting was told in May.

And around 400 youngsters have been waiting more than 52 weeks across the areas for speech and language therapy, health leaders heard.

Sheena Cummiskey, a non-executive director who chairs the ICB's quality committee, outlined the "unacceptably long waits in both children's and adults for autism and ADHD assessments".

She warned the ICB was not currently meeting SEND (special educational needs) code of practice and there was a "high risk that written statements of action will be issued by CQC (Care Quality Commission) and Ofsted during a SEND inspection".

David Blacklock, of Lancashire Healthwatch, was concerned about the extent of the waiting list pressures and warned the board should not become "desensitised" to the challenges ahead.

But a November ICB report, noting demand had ‘risen exponentially’ said a financial solution was no nearer to being found.

The report states: "There had been a commitment to some waiting list initiative funding to mitigate the risk, but this has not materialised due to the system financial pressures and the risks relating to long waits had not been mitigated.”

Prof Sarah O'Brien, the ICB's chief nursing officer, said: "Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB recognises the waiting times faced by both adult and children for autism assessments require improvement and is a challenge faced across the country.

“We are currently reviewing our all-age autism spectrum disorder pathway and are working with system partners and stakeholders to complete the review and proposals for a future pathway for 2025-2026 which helps to reduce the waiting times.”