Autism Strategy PDF 59 KB - Gloucestershire County Council

Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Board
Report Title
Item for
decision or
information
Sponsor
Author
Gloucestershire’s Adult Autism Strategy
Decision
Margaret Willcox
Eddie O’Neil
Organisation Gloucestershire County Council and Gloucestershire Clinical
Commissioning Group
Key Issues:
The Shadow Health and Wellbeing board at its meeting in December 2012
reviewed the draft adult autism strategy and agreed for the document to be
taken forward for further consultation before final sign off by the Board.
The initial draft strategy was developed through a co- production process
overseen by the Adult Autism Partnership Board and involved people with
autism, service users, carers and statutory and voluntary community sector
service providers
A number of further consultative events and meetings were held between
January and April 2013 to obtain feedback on the draft strategy. A range of
issues were highlighted from these consultations that have now been
incorporated within the final document. The issues included the need to
strengthen transitional arrangement between agencies, and to recognise
specifically the needs of people with Asperger’s Syndrome within the strategy.
In addition a number of responses from of the consultation process proposed
that commissioners produce an easy read version of the strategy document.
The easy read version (appendix 2) was co-produced with a number of
service users and key stakeholders including input from the Learning
Disabilities Partnership Board.
The Adult Autism Partnership Board will provide oversight to the
implementation process and will report to the Joint Commissioning
Partnership Board on a regular basis on progress against the strategy aims
and objectives.
Recommendations to Board:
To endorse ‘Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives’ the adult autism strategy for
Gloucestershire.

Financial/Resource Implications:
As part of the implementation and planning process the Adult Autism
Partnership Board will report to the Joint Commissioning Partnership
Executive regarding any financial and resource implications required with the
implementation of the strategy.

Gloucestershire’s Adult Autism Strategy
‘Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives’
1. Introduction
1.1 The Shadow Health and Wellbeing board at its meeting in December 2012
reviewed the draft adult autism strategy and agreed for the document to be
taken forward for further stakeholder consultation before final sign off by the
Board.
2. Strategy Development and Co-production
2.1 The initial draft strategy was developed through a co- production process
overseen by the Adult Autism Partnership Board and involved people with
autism, service users, carers, and statutory, voluntary and community sector
service providers
2.2 A number of further consultative events and meetings were held between
January and April 2013 to obtain feedback on the draft strategy. A range of
issues were highlighted from these consultations that have now been
incorporated within the final document.
3. Consultation Feedback
3.1 The consultation process was led by the Autism Spectrum Partnership Board
which engaged with a range of organisations and stakeholder groups including
the following;
Job Centre Plus, Public Health, 2gether NHS Trust, Social care, FE Colleges,
Children’s services, Housing (District Councils), Prospects advice service,
Police, Adults with Learning Disabilities Partnership Board, Autism Network
Group and the National Autistic Society.
3.2 The key issues fed back during the consultation process included the
following;
• strengthen transitional arrangement between agencies,
• recognise specifically the needs of people with Asperger’s Syndrome
within the strategy
• the importance of preventative interventions particularly at key
transition points in the life cycle
• develop an easy read version of the strategy

4. The Aims of the Autism Strategy
4.1 The Adult Autism strategy for Gloucestershire continues to be based on the
high level strategic and objectives which are set out in the Autism National
Delivery Plan (DH 2011) and also the recommendations within the
Gloucestershire Autism Needs Assessment (2012). The strategy incorporates
seven overarching aims, these are as follows;
• Increase awareness and understanding of autism across all public services in
order to increase the ability of staff to recognise autism to meet people’s
needs.
• Develop a clear pathway for the assessment and diagnosis of people who are
on the autistic spectrum, ensuring that diagnosis leads on to improved
assessment of need and support.
• Improve the transition pathway from children’s to adult services.
• Help people with autism into work.
• Enable local partners to plan and develop appropriate services for people with
autism meeting identified needs and priorities
• Enable people with autism to have a greater choice and control over where
and how to live
• Ensure that a range of services have an understanding of autism and can be
accessed by people with autism challenging the current high levels of social
exclusion
5. Implementation Planning and Process
5.1 The implementation process will be led and overseen by the Adult Autism
Spectrum Condition Board and working sub groups will be established for
each of the strategy high level overarching aims.
5.2 The Autism Partnership Board will report on progress against implementation
plan on regular basis to the Joint Commissioning Partnership Board.
6. Appendices
Appendix 1 Adult Autism Strategy Document
Appendix 2 Strategy Easy Read Version