This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Funding to improve autism services
24/01/2005
A national network for Autistic Spectrum Disorders
(ASDs) is to be developed over the next two years with a
£300,000 funding package from the Executive.
And NHS Highland is to receive £90,000 to further
develop ASD services in the north of Scotland.
Deputy Health Minister Rhona Brankin made the
announcements today as she formally opened a new centre in
Glasgow offering a range of services to help those affected
by ASDs.
Ms Brankin said:
"I am delighted to be opening this important resource
which will offer diagnosis, information, advice and support
to a number of groups including people with autism, their
families, carers and practitioners.
"Improving diagnosis of ASDs will lead to greater
demands on existing services provided by local
agencies.
"I am very pleased to be able to announce today the
award of £300,000 over two years for the development of a
National Service Network for Autism.
"This network will support local agencies throughout
Scotland to deliver better services for those affected by
ASDs.
"I am also pleased to be able to announce funding of
almost £90,000 to NHS Highland over two years to further
develop ASD services in the north of Scotland.
"This project will pay particular attention to the needs
of young people leaving school and moving to adult
services.
"It is important to remember that while we are making
great progress in the provision of services our work is by
no means complete.
"We are currently working in consultation with members
of the Cross-Party Group to plan a national conference to
address the health needs of people with ASD. We also need
to influence a wider audience on the need for appropriate
training and support for staff who provide these invaluable
services."
The Glasgow Autism Service (also referred to as Glasgow
Autism Resource Centre) is being developed with funding of
£750,000 over three years, which NHS Greater Glasgow was
given by the Executive for a project that develops a model
of inter-agency services for adults with ASD.
The Glasgow Autism Service will be run as a partnership
between NHS Greater Glasgow Primary Care Division, Glasgow
City Council Social Work Services, National Autistic
Society, Scottish Society for Autism and Strathclyde
Autistic Society.
The Service is staffed by 11 professional staff
including a clinical psychologist, input from psychiatry, a
speech and language therapist, local autism coordinators,
clinical autism co-ordinators and an information
officer.
The National Service Network is provided by the National
Centre for Autism Studies at the University of
Strathclyde.
The Executive's ASD Reference Group and its related sub
groups are taking forward the recommendations of the Public
Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) report which carried
out a Scottish needs assessment of services for people with
ASDs.