Mandatory autism training for GPs, a map of safe sensory spaces, and increased access to autism assessment are all being proposed by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The proposals come as part of an action plan within the council’s new Adult Autism Strategy, launched to coincide with April’s Autism Acceptance Month.
The strategy, approved by the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board on 7 November 2023, contains a five year action plan aimed at improving support and services for autistic adults in the city.
The action plan sets out aims in six key policy areas, such as housing and mental health, but no specific targets are cited for when any of the proposals may be introduced.
Councillor Tristram Burden, chair of the council’s Adult Social Care and Public Health sub-committee, said: “The Adult Autism Strategy will be overseen by the Autism Partnership Board, which is made up of a wide range of partners, including the NHS.
“The next stage of the strategy is to develop detailed workstreams and delivery plans – this will include how mandatory autism training for GPs and mental health professionals will be delivered, for example.
“We work with partners on the Autism Partnership Board continuously to identify any additional funding which is required for specific projects, and will be working with organisations across the city to advance the inclusivity of their services.
“We look forward to updating our residents throughout this process and ensuring autistic people in the city are not only kept at the heart of this strategy, but hear from us regularly on how it is progressing and what new services and support are available to them.”
Brighton and Hove News understands that there is no particular pot of funding identified to implement the strategy’s action plan as a whole, but that additional investment and funding will be identified as the council develops workstreams.
The ‘action plan’ focuses on relationships and safety, housing, mental health, physical health, social care and neurodevelopmental accessibility.
The full strategy, on the council’s website, is also available in an ‘easy read’ version which omits the action plan details.
Across all areas, the action plan commits to delivering inclusive adjustments to services, and for staff to proactively identify unpaid carers and signpost them to support.
It also says there should be clear and accessible guidelines on how to complain about services, and such complaints should be addressed through a “restorative justice approach.”
The action plan also mentions that any training should include the widely varying experience of autism with other experiences, including cultural sensitivities and gender and sexuality.
Alice Conroy, autistic co-chair of Brighton and Hove Autism Partnership Board said: “There is often a lack of understanding of invisible disabilities and accessibility needs, which can be experienced as oppressive by neurodivergent people.
“Changing the lens on autism will hopefully change understanding, culture and practices, and thus, the outcomes for autistic people, many of whom have previously been unheard and unseen.
“It’s exciting that through this work there is a commitment towards systemic change and ‘doing things differently,’ to improve the lives of autistic people.
“I am passionate that the Brighton and Hove Adult Autism Strategy will promote a neurodiversity-affirming culture and practice approach that amplifies autistic voice, recognises autistic culture and celebrates autistic strengths.”
On relationships and safety, the action plan mentions the creation of a map of safe sensory spaces and a neurodivergent community café.
A review by local transport operators of how public transport can be more accessible for autistic people is also promised.
On housing, training on autism and inclusive adjustments is promised to be given to housing teams, including repairs and maintenance service and homelessness teams.
The council’s plan also says it will raise the issue of autistic people under 35 who receive housing benefit having to share homes with others in unsuitable and challenging environments with the Local Government Association.
On mental health, the action plan includes a commitment to mandatory autism training for mental health professionals and GPs, including restraint minimization training and training on autistic burnout and the high suicide risk experienced by autistic people.
The plan also says that therapeutic interventions other than cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) should be available and adapted for different communication styles, with trauma-informed support available for people who have been misdiagnosed with a mental health condition.
On physical health, an accessibility review of Accident and Emergency services is promised, with hospitals and clinical settings to consider autistic people’s sensory needs.
The plan also says there should be an autism lead in PALS (the Patient Advice and Liaison Service) within hospitals and accessible support for people who complain.
On social care, the creation of clear guidelines for transitioning between children’s and adult social services is promised, as well as reviews of social care financial assessment, including disability related expenses.
On neurodevelopmental assessment and support, increased access to assessment and the development of a coordinated point of access – led and developed by neurodivergent people – are promised, as well as proactive identification and support for unpaid carers.
You can find the whole Adult Autism Strategy on the council’s website here: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/adult-social-care/stay-healthy-and-well/brighton-hove-adult-autism-strategy-and-action-plan#tab–introduction
Serious question: – Have rates of autism increased over the last 50 years, or has diagnosis improved, or has the bar to be diagnosed as autistic been lowered ? It was pretty unheard of when I was a kid and of course this meant that little or no money was spent on it.
Interesting question. A mixture I suspect. Mental health diagnostic tools and definitions of conditions have been improving rapidly over the recent years, so those that would have originally been classified as a bit slow, or disruptive before, have a different outcome. I wonder how many people out there, now adults, would have a diagnosis if they grew up in modern times?
COVID has had a marked effect on developmental growth, delaying milestones for many children too, which must also be a factor.
Sarah Hendrix is the autistic diagnosis person to go to !
After 10 years of diagnosing she then diagnosed herself. Me included.
Regarding the diagnosis. I read articles about it and thought this sounds like me . While being prosecuted by the CPS for false allegations against me . It was also used to just get the case thrown out in court ! As it usually does.
However it’s then been used against me in a family court . That I don’t know what I’m saying and would be unable to get my son across the road.
(Police informing me that I wouldn’t have a licence if true)
I had been through a lot of trauma/grief related. With the police medical officer being very direct that I have been through trauma.
I should never of been diagnosed going through trauma .
I have lost custody. Lost friends , lost confidence in so called professionals that after an hour consultation come up with these diagnosis for simply put . Money.
My mother is a trained handicapped children’s nurse . And has looked after many children at chailey heritage.
She always said it’s trauma what you have been through.
The trouble is .I got no help whatsoever with an autism diagnosis instead of trauma counselling.
4 friends died in Brighton in traffic accidents .
My daughter born asleep .
My brother diagnosed with cancer and arm removed.
In Thailand 2004 tsunami as missing.
I run my own successful business and always have done . Working for lawyers , doctors ,police , firearms officer.
No problems whatsoever
There are certainly issues that need addressing including understanding causes and standardising diagnosis. Autism is a spectrum, some people very limited, with significant learning, social, and health issues. People at the other end of the spectrum may just present as shy, and/or perhaps a little fixed thinking, maybe a little awkward/difficult. There is a real risk we are over medicalising and labelling normal, functional, variation and we’ve created a situation where it benefits people with any neurodiversity (which some would argue is most, if not all of the population) to get a ‘diagnosis’ rather than accepting, valuing and respecting we are all different and that’s ok. This medicalisation suits private assessors/clinics (and private schools), drug companies, and as we have seen with trans activists- idealists who push an agenda without care of individual, or wider impact and in the absence of any reliable evidence. And while this creates increasing demand on the NHS, long waiting lists, pressure on (state) schools, workplaces, society, and raises expectations of ‘special’ conditions/treatment, it also leads to drug shortages including for those who most need treatment. In the meantime we are also ignoring risks such as the rise in young children on screens and the evidenced impact that has on their brain development, engagement with the outside world, processing. We have a pipeline of children and young people living in online worlds, not being exposed to the real world they need to be able to live and function in, so when they have to it can be a very uncomfortable and awkward place to be.
Can’t trust BHCC when they don’t know what safeguarding or a woman is, everything they touch these days is a Trojan horse for ideological extremism.
I’d love this to be a positive activity, I have no trust it will.
You’re no closer to understanding what a woman is, “Andrew”.
The article BARELY mentions sexuality, and only calls for GPs to have some sensitivity training. Everything else is about living needs, such as housing or effective communication….
Andrew I get what your saying .
There giving out diagnosis like confetti
Why ?
Diagnosis for ADHD , autism worth about £600 per month per child in benefits.
Hmmm what could possibly be happening
I’m very close to understanding what a woman is, much closer than our City administrators. A woman is an adult human female and sexualities are based on biological sex.
BHCC disagrees and hijacks all city service policies to infuse Gender Identity ideology to replace the meaning woman and sexuality. This policy is simply one example with frequent use of Gender Identity ideology. This has a huge negative effect on the most vulnerable people in our city and needs to stop.
Just calling it out for people to be aware.
And there it is, the Trojan horse. Many Gender Identity ideology references throughout the plan, and zero references for single sex services or any additional support for safeguarding topics. Two obvious areas that an autism policy must address. And one area that has no place in any statutory policy.
Let’s hope the local GPs are capable in filtering this, obvs except GPs at WellBN in Hove. Not found the board members yet that oversee this policy, that’s harder to find. What are the chances that charity partnerships that feed patients to WellBN overlap here?
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/documents/s194360/Adult%20Autism%20Strategy%20Action%20plan.pdf
Hmm I have to admit that this does require careful scrutiny lest it becomes the now discredited narrative about gender dysphoria repackaged as treatment of autism.