(UK) NI: 'Demand for autism assessment... has increased significantly'

June 1, 2018, UK (N.I.) Derry Journal: Almost 600 waiting for Autism assessment https://www.derryjournal.com/news/almost-600-waiting-for-autism-assessment-1-8518374 Almost 600 children and adults are waiting to be assessed for Autism locally, with health officials warning resources cannot meet the soaring demand. … The Western Trust has confirmed that the numbers referred for assessment and intervention has risen dramatically. And this has now prompted Trust representatives to relay concerns to both the Health and Social Care Board and Department of Health. At present there are 493 children and 81 adults across Derry, Limavady, Strabane and the wider western region, waiting to begin assessment to detect if they are on the Autism spectrum. A further 394 children and 55 adults are currently undergoing the assessment process within the Trust. The figures were obtained by the ‘Journal’ after a recent report revealed that the number of school age children - 993 - who have come through the assessment process and been diagnosed with Autism and Asperger Syndrome in the west, has increased by almost 50 per cent over the last five years, despite intake numbers remaining static. Commenting on the waiting lists, a spokesperson for the Western Trust said: “The demand for Autism assessment and intervention for both children and adults within the Western Trust has increased significantly and this trend continues. Current resource does not meet the level of demand within the Trust and this has been highlighted to the HSCB and DoH.” The recent Department of Health report entitled, ‘The Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children’ - found that the increase in children identified with Autism was 31 per cent higher in the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland - several of which are in Derry. …