Meeting Details
Date: Tuesday 25 November 2025
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Venue: Microsoft Teams Meeting
Agenda Item: Pre-Meeting Support
Agenda Item 1 : Welcome and Introduction
1.1 Welcome and introductions made. Communication prompts posted to the Teams Chat window, and their use explained. No reasonable adjustments were requested. Members reported no declaration of interest.
Minutes and action log approved by the Norfolk Autism Partnership Board (NAPB)
Code of Conduct to be monitored by Lee Gibbons
1.2 Members were notified that an automatic transcript of the meeting would take place
to ensure accuracy of minutes. There were no objections
Agenda Item 2 : Public engagement Network: Advisory Group
2.1 Introduction
- Emma introduced herself as part of the charity Choice Support, which supports people with:
- Learning disabilities
- Autism
- Mental Health needs
- Emma works for the Public Engagement Network (PEN), a project within Choice Support.
- Job title: Community Engagement Officer
Region covered: London and the East of England
2.2 About Choice Support & PEN
- Choice Support runs the Public Engagement Network, a group of charities representing people with protected characteristics including:
- People with certain illnesses
- Disabilities
- Autism
- Young and Older people
- The Norfolk Autism Partnership is part of this wider network
2.3 Emma’s role
- Finding new community groups to join the network
- Visiting groups and collecting their experiences of health and social care
- Sharing this feedback with Care Quality Commission
2.4 Partnership with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- PEN works closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which:
- Inspects GP surgeries, hospitals, and care homes
- Ensures services are safe and high quality
- Can require improvements or close unsafe services
- PEN helps the CQC hear directly from the public—especially those whose voices are often overlooked.
- Feedback helps influence rules, standards, and improvements in services.
2.5 Advisory Groups
- PEN runs two advisory groups:
- Children and Young People’s Group (led by Grant)
- Adults with Learning Disabilities or Autism Group (led by Emma)
- These groups allow members to:
- Speak directly with someone from the CQC
- Share experiences and opinions on health and social care
- Discuss specific topics chosen for each meeting
- Meetings are held online every 3 months (4 times a year).
- Run by Emma and her colleague Brittany.
- Next meeting: February (date and time to be confirmed by end of November).
- Agendas are sent out one month before each meeting.
Last meeting:
- Discussed the CQC State of Care report (easy-read version).
- Shared what members felt was working well or poorly.
Next meeting:
Discussion to include sensory challenges and accessibility for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.
Focus on experiences in A&E and hospital settings.
2.6 Member Involvement
- All attendees receive a £30 High Street voucher as thanks for their input.
- Membership is flexible:
- People can attend one meeting or many—no obligation.
- New members are always welcome.
How to Join
People can register their interest by:
- Speaking to Emma directly
- Emailing publicengagementnetwork@choicesupport.org.uk, or
- Asking Lee to pass on their details
SCJ and AG would like to join
2.7 Question: Is the group for organisations or individuals?
Answer: It’s for individuals with autism or learning disabilities. We usually find people through partner organisations, but anyone can join.
Agenda Item 3: Working Group Updates
3.1 Diagnostic Working Group
Group Update:
- AG introduced changes to how the Diagnostics Working Group operates.
- CA has standardised diagnostics data reporting across the Diagnostics Working Group, Board, and Learning Disability & Autism Programme Board.
- Standardised reporting aims to make data easier to digest.
- Ongoing work to obtain data for children and young people services
Current Diagnostics Data (Adults, up to 15 Nov 2025):
- 53 new referrals have been received from GPs since transfer on 1st June 2025
- 84 people have been discharged from the service.
- 42 assessments have been completed.
- Total wating for assessment: 1130
- Longest current wait: 2–3 years;
- Forecasted wait for newly referred: 4.71 years.
Data Collection:
- Current data comes from invoices received from private providers.
- A data template is being designed to request waiting list information from all providers, giving a clearer picture of who is waiting.
- Presently, available data is completed assessments.
Board Perspective (AG):
- Positive impact: Right to Choose pathway has significantly reduced waiting times for autism diagnosis (months vs years).
- Consideration: High cost to the system due to payments to private NHS-contracted providers.
- Overall effect: Reduced waiting times, but not always in the most efficient or consistent way.
System Considerations:
- Continuous monitoring and discussion of diagnostics data remain critical for service planning and quality assurance.
- Uncontrolled spend on Right to Choose assessments could be better invested in NHS pathways.
- Current challenge: monitoring quality and consistency of assessments conducted outside Norfolk & Waveney ICB.
Priority: understanding who is waiting, where, and the standard of assessments provided.
3.2 Question: Why are referrals dropping, could technology barriers be a factor?
Answer: There should be alternative ways to complete the questionnaire, such as getting in touch via phone to request a paper copy.
3.3 Question: What does the discharge data mean?
Answer: The discharge figure covers all reasons someone leaves the service—such as choosing not to continue, switching to Right to Choose or completing their assessment.
3.4 Question: Of the 42 completed assessments, how many resulted in an autism diagnosis?
Answer: The conversion rate is very high— with nearly all completed assessments resulting in an autism diagnosis and only one or two not
3.5 Question: Could the referral data and backing data be shown visually, such as in a graph?
Answer: Yes. We can present the full backing data here if the board finds it helpful. The diagnostic working group does already review it in detail
3.6 Question: If someone is diagnosed with autism through the Right to Choose route, is that captured in national autism diagnostic data and on their GP record?
Answer: All providers, including Right to Choose, report nationally. Recording on a GP system depends on accurate coding by the GP. A standardised report with clear actions for the GP is being developed to make sure the diagnosis is properly recorded.
3.7 Question: Does NHS ratification of private autism diagnoses still happen?
Answer: NHS ratification is no longer routine due to high assessment volumes, but providers following NICE guidelines are considered compliant.
3.8 Question: Can the data be visualised to compare diagnostic pathways and spot trends or differences?
Answer: The Diagnostics Working Group is responsible for this analysis and already carries it out.
CA invited board members to join the Diagnostics Working Group, The group is recruiting additional members.
3.9 Young Person Autism Advisory Group (YPAAG)
- For young people aged 11–17 to share their voice.
- Last meeting (October) achieved little due to members being dysregulated; the session became a team building activity.
- Next meeting is scheduled for January and will focus on Priority 3: supporting people into employment.
Discussions will include what young people need to be “job-ready,” transitions support, and experiences of part-time work.
3.10 Autism Norfolk Forum
- A forum was held recently with only two attendees, both professionals.
- Attendance was low due to:
- A date change
- The event happening during half-term
- Working with Walter Lloyd Smith (Adult Safeguarding Board) to explore better ways to engage the community.
- Upcoming forum dates:
- 20 January (next session, joined by ABL Health to discuss pre-diagnostic navigation support)
- 21 April 2026
- 17 July 2026
3.11 Steering Group
- No meetings have been held since summer due to low autistic member attendance.
- Following a recruitment drive, there are now 8–9 autistic board members.
- Dates are set for next year, and information will be sent to autistic members interested in joining.
- Purpose:
- To escalate issues affecting autistic people that are not covered within the formal strategy.
- Issues raised will be discussed and brought to the main board.
3.12 Support Pathways Working Group
- Newly established group focusing on support for autistic people, both statutory and community based.
- Membership is now full: six autistic people and parent carers.
- Meetings are scheduled through to September 2026 (five meetings).
- First meeting: 15 December.
- The group will review the Terms of Reference, agree priorities, consider support needs, and decide how members will work together.
- An update on progress will be provided at the next board meeting.
Agenda Item 4: Break
4.1 A ten-minute break was held
Agenda Item 5 : Norfolk Autism Strategy Oversight Group: Year 2 Plan
5.1 Development of the Year 1 Update (“You Said, We Did”)
- Norfolk Autism Strategy Oversight Group met in October to co-produce the You Said We Did.
- Group agreed:
- Headings and structure
- Plain English and autism-friendly wording
- Webpage layout, navigation style, colours, and images
The final design was selected by group consensus.
5.2 Development of the Year 2 Plan
- The group met in September and November to co-produce and agree the Year Two Plan.
- For consistency, the Year Two Plan uses the same format and style as the Year One Plan.
- Group agreed:
- Revised the Future Plan section for better understanding.
- Reviewed and improved wording for clarity.
- Added clearer explanations where needed.
5.3 Organisations’ sign-off of actions
- Some actions may be adjusted following discussion with senior managers; to date, only one action (“Preparing for Adult Life”) has been changed.
- All organisations have approved their actions.
Health and Wellbeing Board (Integrated Care Partnership) adoption
Norfolk County Council requested that the Year Two Plan be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
A date for this presentation has been requested.
Lee noted that:
- Councillor Fran Whymark, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, attended Tier 2 autism training voluntarily.
- He has shown strong support for the strategy and partnership work.
5.4 Board feedback and request for sign-off
- The Strategy Oversight Group requested the Board’s feedback and approval for:
- “You Said, We Did” online content
- Year Two Plan
- Publication on the NAPB website, subject to organisations’ governance approval
Board Signed off all requests
5.5 Next steps
Write to action owners for progress updates for Year 2
When: 17 November. Return by: 1 December Who: TW and KD
What: Action owners/organisations will be asked to provide:
- An update of action taken up to 30 November
- An update of actions planned to 31 January
Autism Strategy Oversight Group
When: Monday 12 January Who: All members of this group
What: Members are asked to:
- RAG rate the progress based on updates from action owners
- Highlight areas of concern and good progress.
Health and Wellbeing Board, Integrated Care Partnership
When: Date to be confirmed Who: TW and KD
What: We will:
- Provide an update on the Year One Plan through the You Said, We Did online content
- Ask the Board on behalf of all members to endorse the Year Two Plan.
Norfolk Autism Partnership Board
When: Tuesday 27 January Who: All members of the partnership board
What: Members are asked to:
- Review the Year Two Plan Progress Update and agree any routes for escalation
AG thanked KD and TW for their extensive work on the strategy and supporting documentation
Agenda Item 6 : Follow up: Autism Intensive Support
6.1 Introduction:
Joanna Smith, core psychologist, was introduced by Joanna Roberts
Joanna Roberts introduced herself as Transformation Project Manager at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, working on the Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) transformation programme.
6.2 Project Overview:
- Main aim: To ensure consistent, equitable care across all 14 adult CMHTs in Norfolk and Suffolk .
- Work includes developing high-level operating models and detailed standard operating procedures, staff training, and process improvements.
It builds on national Frameworks including:
- Community Mental Health Framework
- NHS Long Term Plan
- Personalised Care Framework
- NICE Guidance
- Royal College of Psychiatrists CCQI Standards
- Equality Act 2010
- Advancing Mental Health Equality Framework (AMHE)
6.3 Key Principles in the Model:
- Targeted, effective, holistic, safe, responsive, collaborative care.
- Trauma-informed, autism-informed, culturally competent.
- Inclusive communication, co-produced care plans.
Accessibility & Reasonable Adjustments:
- Green Light Toolkit used for auditing and improving services; each team has a Green Light Champion.
- Clinicians must avoid diagnostic overshadowing.
- Staff to explore and document helpful adjustments for service users.
- Flexible appointments, tailored health checks, advocacy support.
6.4 Next Steps:
- Develop detailed staff training and awareness programmes.
- Standardise documentation and refine implementation strategies.
- Gather feedback from stakeholders on what is important for service users and carers
6.5 Discussion:
AG:
- Mental health difficulties for autistic adults are universal; many experience poor service access.
- Suggested forming a working group for in-depth discussion rather than relying solely on the board for detailed exploration.
- Highlighted basic systemic issues:
- Autistic adults often denied or refused services.
- Mental health professionals may lack autism knowledge, leading to confusion and inadequate support.
- Long diagnostic wait times (up to 5 years) with pre-diagnosis misdiagnosis.
- Post-diagnosis support is often non-existent.
JS:
- Purpose of meeting: to listen to lived experiences and incorporate feedback into planning.
- Acknowledged that board-level discussion provides overview; detailed work requires separate forums.
TK:
- Asked about the 2023 NHS guidance on meeting the needs of autistic adults in mental health services.
- Suggested sharing a link to the guidance alongside the meeting minutes for reference.
JS:
- Confirmed guidance is being actively used to inform intensive support offers and CMHT work.
- CMHT benchmarking underway; plan to reassess after implementing changes.
- Emphasized auditing staff awareness and understanding of autism.
SCJ:
- Highlighted barriers due to incompatible technology (older tablets and software).
- Difficulty accessing trauma assessments and other resources digitally.
ASM:
- Mentioned ISO digital accessibility standards could assist in addressing accessibility issues.
JR / JS:
- Agreed on importance of accessibility in communications.
- Plan to involve group representatives in standardizing documentation and testing accessibility.
JJ:
- Raised question about training for clinicians to work with non-neurotypical individuals.
- Suggested exploring neurodiversity training at the academic level (universities, higher education, psychology programs).
JS:
- Training tiers:
- Oliver McGowan Tier 1 & Tier 2: Awareness-building, mainly learning disability-focused.
- Tier 3 National Autism Training: Three-day program, co-produced and co-delivered with autistic people, covering deeper autism knowledge. (Delivered by the Anna Freud Centre)
- Emphasized support mechanisms post-training (autism champions) to ensure implementation of learning in practice.
- University collaboration planned to enhance inclusion of autism awareness in academic training.
AG:
- Highlighted systemic issues:
- Autism and mental health services often operate in separate silos.
- Most autistic adults do not have learning disabilities, yet training/funding often conflates the two.
- Current Oliver McGowan training reinforces this misconception.
JR:
- Stressed the importance of lived experience inclusion in training, particularly for autistic individuals without learning disabilities.
- Training should reflect diversity in autism presentation.
JS: Tier 3 training is co-produced and co-delivered with experts by experience to address diversity and lived experience in learning.
6.6 Key Takeaways
- There is strong recognition of systemic challenges in supporting autistic adults in mental health services.
- Detailed discussions and working groups are required for deeper exploration beyond board-level overview.
- Digital accessibility and usability need to be considered in all communications and resources.
- Staff training is ongoing, with emphasis on awareness, deeper understanding, and practical implementation.
- Inclusion of lived experience in training is essential to improve practice and reduce misconceptions about autism and learning disabilities.
- Collaboration with academic institutions could improve early professional training on neurodiversity
Action: LG to schedule a follow-up meeting to explore this topic in greater depth
Agenda Item 7 : Any other business
7.1 House of Lords Autism Act Committee Report
KD shared a link to the recently published report from the House of Lords Autism Act Committee.
Action: LG to add the report as an agenda item for the next board meeting
7.2 Introduction to Andrew Sampson-Munday
- Andrew is a Sergeant at Norfolk Constabulary
- He is autistic, has ADHD and PTSD, and is passionate about autism-related work.
- Offered support to anyone in the meeting, stating he is happy to discuss the topic at length.
Invited board members or others to contact him directly for guidance or help.
7.3 Co-Chair Opportunity
- Interested members are encouraged to contact LG to discuss responsibilities and next steps.
- AG highlighted the opportunity for any autistic board member to co-chair the NAPB board.
7.4 Welfare Checks
LG mentioned the reintroduction of “welfare checks” (a post-meeting survey) to gather feedback from board members. Participation is optional.
Date, time and location of next meeting
Tuesday 27th January 2026 13:00-15:00 (Microsoft Teams)