Funding to address waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments in Lancashire and south Cumbria has ‘not materialised’ due to financial pressures, a report states.
The ‘Reporting from Committees: Escalation and Assurance Report’ prepared for the Lancashire and South Cumbria integrated care board (ICB) said the quality committee had been alerted to ‘extremely long waiting times’ for autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people. According to the report there are also ‘long waits’ for adult neurodevelopment assessments.
A report prepared for the ICB in May said demand has ‘risen exponentially’ in the last two years, with children and young people waiting over two years for assessments.
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The most recent report says: “Committee were also alerted to ongoing challenges and extremely long waiting times for CYP neurodevelopment (autism assessment and ADHD assessment) and long waits for adult neurodevelopment assessments. 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.”
Professor Sarah O’Brien, chief nursing officer for Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, said: “Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB recognises that 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.”