Autism assessment backlog stretches to 18 months

Monday 02 August 2021

The Government is looking to outsource its autism assessment service to clear its growing backlog, which has risen from six to 18 months over the past year.

73 children and young people are currently waiting to be seen.

In January 2020, islanders aged five to 16 had to wait six months for an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) assessment, but that period has “increased significantly” over the past year-and-a-half.

To address the issue, the Government has launched a tender process to find a provider with “capacity to manage the backlog of cases over the short-term whilst the improved integrated neurodevelopmental pathway is implemented."

According to the tender description, the contract was supposed to start on 6 July and conclude on 12 September 2022. However, with no provider having been identified so far, the invitation to tender has now been extended to 12 August.

Autism assessments take a full day and need to be undertaken by two qualified practitioners.

Even if a UK provider is selected, the Government confirmed to Express that assessments would continue to take place on the island.

“We cannot advise on providers until the procurement process has been completed and bids have been evaluated,” they said, but noted: “No one will be expected to travel out of Jersey for assessments.”

Chris Dunne, the CEO of Autism Jersey, welcomed the news, noting it would help address a long-standing issue.

Pictured: Chris Dunne, the CEO of Autism Jersey with Dr Helen Miles, the charity's Chair.

“In light of the current problems that families are having in receiving a diagnosis within 18 months, the steps taken by the Government to commission additional support to achieve the assessments can only be a good thing,” he said.

“It has been an issue on-island for some time now, and, as long as it is commissioned to an effective organisation, this can only benefit families on island, because the important factor here is getting the assessment.”