The new draft guidance from NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) highlights many areas where there continue to be problems with the NHS autism services, especially when it comes to autism support for the young.

According to NICE, the NHS must make significant improvements in the diagnosis of autism in teenagers and children if it is to achieve the standards that are required.

This echoes our own views that many of the problems with the NHS autism services could be avoided with more education of front line staff and key community support staff.

As the current statistics show that as many as 1% children under three years old has some form of autism, it is appalling that there are still some parts of the UK where healthcare professionals still have a poor comprehension of autism symptoms and diagnosis.

As autism spectrum disorders can be difficult to diagnose as the signs and symptoms are often masked by other conditions that may also be present, it is crucial that autism healthcare professionals have the highest levels of expertise, and this is simply not the case at the moment. NICE is calling for autism support staff and other healthcare professionals to work closer together and to engage with other bodies in the community (e.g. schools and the voluntarty sector) in order to improve NHS Autism services for young people and their parents and carers.

Accordiing to Dr Fergus Macbeth (Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE):

“A correct diagnosis of autism can bring a profound sense of relief to some children and young people from what can be an intense feeling of isolation from the rest of the world. It can also help them and their families or carers to get support from education, health services and voluntary organisations and make contact with others with similar experiences.”

A sentiment that I am sure most of our readers will agree, and whilst it may be sailing very close to ‘stating the obvious’, it is at least reassuring to hear someone from inside the system say what the rest of us already know.

Dr Macbeth went on to say:

“Our draft recommendations outline the best ways that healthcare professionals can recognise the possible signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in children and young people, when they should consider referring them to a specialist team, and how they should then be diagnosed.”

Dr Macbeth called for comments from autism professionals, and members of the public to comment on the draft recommendations, which will be published in September 2011.

The draft guidelines are available for viewing on the NICE site, here: New draft guidance calls for improvements to NHS autism services for under-18s.

So, if you have had problems with the NHS autism services, we strongly urge you to read them and give your feedback.