Government rejects calls for maximum autism diagnosis waiting time

Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons, health minister Alistair Burt said that the idea, which has previously been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), "would not work".

Burt made the comments in response to questioning by Liberal Democrat MP and former health minister Norman Lamb.

"We all know that once we set a standard, the system responds to it, and we need that for anything to change," Lamb said.

Burt said that a standard time would not work due to a lack of capacity in the NHS, admitting this was a “health inequality” that people with autism faced.

“To set a waiting time limit as some sort of token, knowing that it cannot be reached, would not work,” he said.

He said that, in some parts of the country, the demand placed on services means the NHS struggles to meets the standards set out by Nice.  

“Sometimes there is an issue of capacity," he said.

"It is not a question of just pulling a lever and the waiting times will come down. For waiting times to make any sense, we must recognise the capacity to deal with them. NHS England is trying to understand the difference in variation in order to do something about it.”

The National Autistic Society (NAS), which has said it believes this to be the first time Alistair Burt has explicitly ruled out minimum waiting times, campaigned for shorter diagnosis times last year.

It said recent research indicated that average waiting times for children are over three and a half years between being referred for a diagnostic assessment and a first appointment.

Sarah Lambert, head of policy at the NAS, said long waits for diagnoses are unacceptable.
 
"This important debate drew attention to the months, and even years, many people spend waiting for an autism diagnosis," she added.
 
“A diagnosis can explain years of feeling different, give people essential information about what might help, and unlock professional advice and support. Such long waits are unacceptable and push some families into crisis.
 
“We’re disappointed that the minister ruled out setting a maximum waiting time standard, despite former health minister Norman Lamb saying that this was needed to bring down diagnosis waiting times.
 
"Growing up with autism can be difficult but we've seen again and again how early diagnosis and support can make a huge difference."

John Trampleasure, director of external affairs at Ambitious about Autism, said that while maximum waiting times are needed, the health system needs more resources.
 
"Ambitious about Autism agrees that waiting times for an autism diagnosis must come down, but then again Alistair Burt highlights the root of the problem, the lack of capacity and under-resourcing within the system needed to do the job."