Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives - Statutory Guidance Issued
On 17th December 2010, the Government published statutory guidance for local councils and local NHS bodies setting out what they have to do to ensure they meet the needs of adults with autism in England, in accordance with The Autism Act 2009.
As the guidance is statutory, local councils and local health bodies have a legal duty to implement it. Where the guidance says that a local area should do something, this means that they will have to do it by law, unless they have a strong reason not to.
The guidance sends a clear message on what local councils and local NHS bodies in England must improve and is structured into the following four areas:
- Training for their staff who provide services to adults with autism
- Identification and diagnosis of adults with autism, leading to assessment of need
- Planning of services for people with autism, including the transition from child services to adult services
- Local planning and leadership in relation to the provision of services
This guidance is a significant improvement from the draft guidance that the Government consulted on over the summer. The first draft of the guidance was criticised by many, including Hampshire Autistic Society, because of the weak language used but the final statutory guidance is much clearer. Now that the guidance has been published, there can be no excuses not to change the way services are delivered locally.
Hampshire Autistic Society has been, and will continue to, work with Hampshire County Council and NHS Hampshire, via the Hampshire Autism Partnership Board, to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to implement the autism strategy.
Please click on this link to download a copy of the final Statutory Guidance - Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives.
