Skip to main content

Written question asked by Michael Payne (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 March 2025. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Thursday, 27 March 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Neurodiversity: Children and Young People

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the waiting times for diagnosis of (a) autism and (b) ADHD for children and young people.

Answer

It is the responsibility of the integrated care board (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation and how they might overcome these.

In respect of ADHD, NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce, which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer of 2025.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
39279
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children Autism Diagnosis ADHD Young people
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk