Learning disability and autism: our work
We work with the Government and other health and care organisations to make sure that autistic people and people with a learning disability, including people with a mental health condition get the best possible care.
Our work about improving health and care services so that more people can live in the community, with the right support, and close to home.
In October 2015, we published a national plan, Building the Right Support, which is also available in an easy-read format. The plan set out how we are ensuring that people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Since its publication, new policies and guidance have been introduced.
We have worked with stakeholders to bring these together into guidance on the support that should be available to people. This guidance is called Supporting autistic people and people with a learning disability to live well in their communities. It will help local systems deliver the Government’s three shifts by ensuring a focus on prevention and community-based support. Delivering the support outlined in the guidance will also help systems reduce reliance on inpatient care and expand community-based alternatives, as set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework. In addition, it will help local areas respond to reforms of the Mental Health Act.
How is care being transformed?
Our work includes lots of different projects which are helping to improve the lives of people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Find out more about the ways how we are transforming care and improving health across the country and in your local area.
Improving outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways
Demand for autism assessments has risen rapidly over the past 20 years. In July 2022, there were more than 125,000 people waiting for assessment by mental health services; an increase of 34% from October 2021.
The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) set an ambition to reduce waiting times in autism assessment services. The national strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026 set a target to reduce autism assessment wait times for people of all ages as well as improving access to support during and after an assessment.
It is critical that efforts to achieve these ambitions does not result in quality of autism assessments and access to assessment services being compromised. For this reason, guidance was needed to guide decision making about high quality and accessible autism assessment services.
We recognise that recruitment and retention of an appropriately resourced, qualified and skilled multidisciplinary workforce will be central to achieving these improved outcomes. These publications provide guidance on delivering improved outcomes within the context of currently available resources.
NHS England have produced a national framework to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways that sets out general principles to be applied during the commissioning cycle for an autism assessment offer in each area of the country.
NHS England have also produced operational guidance to deliver improved outcomes that places these general principles in operational context in terms of how they can be applied in each area. This guidance is intended to support local strategic decision making to deliver the highest quality autism assessment services.
Both documents have been created with input from clinical, lived experience, scientific, commissioning and service management experts. Both documents incorporate relevant, evidence-based recommendations from NICE clinical guidelines.
Joint guiding principles for integrated care systems – learning disability and autism
The development of integrated care systems has meant more of a focus than ever before on the importance of strong partnership working across health and local government. When organisations and teams work together, and when people and families receive support in a joined-up way, we know that people experience better outcomes.
To help improve the lives and outcomes of people with a learning disability and autistic people, the Local Government Association, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services as Partners in Care and Health, in partnership with NHS England, have developed a set of guiding principles for integrated care systems and their local partners.
We hope that these principles encourage a partnership approach, across health, local government, and wider partners, within local systems, and promote better outcomes for the people that we all serve.
Learning Disability and Autism Programme: Data and information
The NHS Long Term Plan works to improve the health of people with a learning disability, people who are autistic or both, and to support them to live well at home. This publication brings together key data from health services to show the performance of the NHS in delivering our Long Term Plan commitments.