NHS services across England have seen vast increases in the number of people who have been referred to specialist services related to Autism and/or ADHD.
The capacity the NHS has to provide these services does not meet the current demand. The need for these services is very high and waiting times are too long.
When you were referred, you had the right to choose a provider for your assessment and treatment and, potentially, expect a shorter wait.
Unfortunately, the number of people needing these services remains very high and the amount of time you wait to access these services is likely to increase. If you are currently waiting for an assessment, your appointment might not take place this year.
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight are working very hard to bring waiting times down in the future and will continue to communicate with you about expected time frames.
The impact of longer waits has been assessed and keeping patients safe remains top priority.
We understand you need support as soon as possible to manage your condition. We are working hard to ensure care and support is available to you regardless of whether you have your diagnosis. This includes working with education services to
ensure adaptations in the school environment are made based on children’s individual needs.
Any medication reviews you are receiving will continue without disruption. If a clinician agrees you need to be seen urgently, processes are in place to ensure this happens.
We are making adjustments to help improve these services which includes putting in new ways of accessing help sooner, increasing services for advice and guidance on Autism and ADHD, improving how you access and receive support from services including using new technology, and improving the approach to prescribing medications.