FOI Ref: 0074FOI2021

8^th September 2020

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request for Information

We are pleased to respond to your request for information and our response is set out below:

Request

The information request regarding the diagnosis of autism in children in your area. If I have sent this to the wrong organisation please let me know who commissions autism service in your area.

Do you have an overall coordinator for children's autism diagnosis if so who is it?

Do you have children autism service development plan so where can I find a copy?

How is the children's autism diagnosis funded?

How are the NHS, social services and education input to diagnosis coordinated in

1. For each age group pre school, primary school ,secondary school please tell the following relate to the NICE guidelines

i. Do the criteria used the diagnosis match the standards expected by Nice Clinical guideline [CG128]

ii. The nice guidelines expect you should start the autism diagnostic assessment within 3 months of the referral to the autism team?

Does your area meet this target if not how long is the wait?

iii. NICE say in each area a multidisciplinary group (the autism team) should be set up. The core membership should include a:

1. paediatrician and/or child and adolescent psychiatrist
   What is the grade and speciality for this team member (if more than one the professional lead)?
2. speech and language therapist (if more than one the professional lead)? What is the grade for this team member (if more than one the professional lead)?
3. clinical and/or educational psychologist. (if more than one the professional lead)? What is the grade and speciality for this team member (if more than one the professional lead)?

iv. Nice say The autism team should either have the skills (or have access to professionals that have the skills) needed to carry out an autism diagnostic assessment, for children and young people with special circumstances including: coexisting conditions such as severe visual and hearing impairments, motor disorders including cerebral palsy, severe learning (intellectual) disabilities, complex language disorders or complex mental health disorders

How and from who is this expertise accessed

v. Nice require each diagnostic assessment consideration of the differential diagnosis who assesses the possibility of the following

1. a learning (intellectual) disability or global developmental delay
2. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
3. Anxiety disorder
4. Attachment disorders
5. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
6. Psychosis
7. Motor Coordination Problems or Development coordination disorder.

Response

NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group does not hold this information. Please direct your request to NHS England who currently commission the service - england.contactus@nhs.net (please write “Freedom of Information” in the subject line).