Number of youngsters waiting more than 18 weeks for autism diagnosis in Rotherham falls to 86 per cent

In November 2021 94 per cent of children on the waiting list for a diagnosis had waited longer than 18 weeks.

This had fallen to 86 per cent at the beginning of February 2022, and 35 per cent of youngsters waited less than a year.

Sixty-four per cent of children were seen within two years, and two per cent have waited longer than three and a half years.

Eighteen weeks is the maximum waiting time for non-urgent, consultant-led treatments in the NHS.

A report heard by RMBC’s health select commission yesterday (April 7) states that Rotherham’s CCG has invested around £500,000 per year since 2020 “to address issues pertaining to access for diagnosis”.

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“In 2022 Rotherham CCG has worked with RDASH to develop a mobilisation plan to address the waiting list sustainably over the next three years,” adds the report.

“This is being monitored monthly and is currently on track to ensure a maximum waiting time of 18 weeks by 2025.”

“Since October 2018 it is has been apparent that the diagnostic capacity was not sufficient to meet demand.”

The CCG plans to invest £458,000 in 2022/23 into Rotherham’s All Age Neurodevelopmental Pathway.

Garry Parvin, commissioning service manager, told the meeting: “There has been a focus on waiting time for diagnosis in relation to Rotherham’s all age neurodevelopmental pathway.

“Despite the pandemic, progress has been made.”

Helen Sweaton, joint assistant director, commissioning, performance and inclusion at RMBC, added: “There’s been a fairly significant amount of additional investment, not just from the clinical commissioning group but actually from all partners in Rotherham, to invest time and effort to have a multi-agency screening pathway into our neurodevelopmental pathway.

“That is having some really positive impact…. it means as none of our services are diagnosis dependent, that children and families are getting information about the services that are available without having to wait.

“We do know that we have still got a long way to go in terms of getting the waiting time for autism diagnosis within the 18 weeks that we aspire to.”