Meeting Details
Date: Tuesday 30 July 2024
Time: 11:00 – 13:00
Venue: Microsoft Teams Meeting
Agenda Item: Pre-Meeting Support
Agenda Item 1 : Welcome and Introduction
1.1 Board Members were asked to introduce themselves in the Teams chat function
1.2 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
1.3 Action: To keep in contact with Tracey Wooldridge regarding further updates to the Care, Education and treatment review
1.4 Action: To publish:
Introduction to a Social Care Conversation (2 pages long)
Guide to a Social Care Conversation (Longer document with space for notes)
Update: completed 21/05/2024
Agenda Item 2 : Diagnosis Waiting List Updates
2.1 Adult Diagnosis (without a Learning Disability)
- Annual average referrals of 83 each month
- Total number of adults waiting 1207
- Average of 18 assessment a month
Waiting period breakdown:
- 0 people waiting longer than 200wks
- 9 waiting between 200-104 weeks
- 519 waiting between 104–52 weeks
- 470 waiting between 52-18 weeks
- 209 Less than 18 weeks
2.2 Adult Diagnosis (without a Learning Disability)- Year on year comparison of total numbers waiting
- June 2020 – 544
- June 2021 – 688
- June 2022 – 908
- June 2023 – 684
- June 2024 – 1207
In June 2024, the total number of adult awaiting assessment is 121.8% increase from June 2020.
2.3 Adult Diagnosis (without a Learning Disability)- Year on Year comparison of demand for
assessment
| Average monthly referrals | Total Refferals | % change since previous year | |
| 2020 | 36 | 434 | N/A |
| 2021 | 71 | 856 | 97% |
| 2022 | 85 | 1024 | 20% |
| 2023 | 83 | 990 | 3.3% |
2.4 PDA Update
- Worked together to provide a shared understand of Pathological Demand Avoidance
(PDA). Feedback reflected from Board and NAPB Diagnosis and Support Working Group. - This understanding will be shared with Suffolk Autism Partnership too.
- When signed off commissioners will share the statement with diagnostic services across
Norfolk. - This will be reviewed every 12 months
The Norfolk Autism Partnership Board has been asked to sign off this statement and to add it to the
Norfolk Autism Partnership website and provide a link to the PDA Societies website
2.5 Children and Young People
Due to ongoing contract negotiations with providers this information is currently unavailable.
Agenda Item 3: Update on the Autism Forum Norfolk
3.1 Forum was held on the 16 July 2024
We had 28 registered to attend with 12 attending on the day.
This was held via Zoom
3.2 An updated was provided to the group on the current activities of the Norfolk Autism Partnership which included:
- Current work on the Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
- Training that the Norfolk Autism Partnership has delivered both in person and via our E-Learning
Program - Quick Reference Guides for Families and Adults reminders and updates
- The Norfolk Autism Directory + photo contest winner announcements
- Update on the Short Term Research project and promoting the Report Summary
3.3 Members of the forum were reminded of the ongoing involvement opportunities currently available:
- Suicide Prevention for autistic people: Survey
- All Age Carers Strategy for Norfolk & Waveney- We need your help to make sure we have got it right! (Now Closed)
- Therapeutic Practice and Autism Survey Online Survey on Age-Related Differences in Physical Activity Levels, Physical Activity Preferences, Mental Health, and Quality of Life among Autistic Adults
- Community Engagement Sessions: Adult Social Services
3.4 They were also reminded of the ‘Interest Register’ on the Norfolk Autism Partnership website and informed of the possible upcoming involvement opportunities to help oversee/deliver the Norfolk All Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
3.5 The second half of the Forum was an ‘Open Discussion’ that people could ask questions, tell us what wasn’t going well and what was.
3.6 Neurodiversity Hub
- A physical hub in Norfolk to support those with Neurodiversity
- Not a sign posting service
- Members commented how they can feel they are passed around services.
Action: To arrange for Colin Lang to speak at the next Norfolk Autism Partnership Board meeting regarding their plans for an Autism Hub in Poringland, Norwich.
3.7 Mental Health
- Members of the group talked about the lack of Mental Health support
- Adapted therapy for autistic people
- Needs to be a holistic service
3.8 Adult Learning
- A new Neurodiversity and Autism course has been launched
3.9 The next forum is to be held on the 22nd October 2024.
Agenda Item 4: Break
4.1 A 10 minute break was held
Agenda Item 5 : Inpatient and Community Care Plan: Co Production Approach
5.1 ophie Bagge (Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust) joined us to speak about how they are involving
autistic people in the development of this plan.
5.2 Sophie gave a presentation on the Model of Care Structure. See appendix for presentation slides.
5.3 Question: Was this approached used to inform the Inpatient Care plan and where would this fall within
the current Norfolk All Age Autism Strategy?
Answer: This approached was used in the co- production of the Inpatient Care plan and the consensus was that this fell within Priority 4: Tackling Health inequalities for autistic people
5.4 Agreement for Sophie to send the Norfolk Autism Partnership any details on co-production opportunities for direct consideration of the Norfolk Autism Partnership Board or to go onto the NAPB website section.
Agenda Item 6 : Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
6.1 Tracey Walton and Karen Dures provided us with an update to the development of the current Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029.
- NAPB members in principle signed off the revised draft strategy
- Strategy adopted by Health and Wellbeing Board and endorsed by partners
- In process of sign off by NAPB partners
- Autism Strategy Group coproduced a communication plan to launch the strategy
- Launch 30 July 2024 with versions of the strategy available on the NAPB Website
Action: Norfolk Autism Partnership Board Members are asked to promote and share the Norfolk All-Age
Autism Strategy 2024-2029
Action: Update the website with the New Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
6.2 A proposal was brought forward on how to plan and monitor the delivery of the Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
6.3 The current Strategy Reference group would develop into the Autism Strategy Oversight group who would be responsible for monitoring the progress made on partners plans and escalating any concerns that the group has.
6.4 How the monitoring and reporting of the plan would work.
- Norfolk Autism Partnership to send the plan template to partners so they can begin to populate with their plans to deliver on the priorities of the Norfolk All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029
- These to be returned by the 31st August along with any progress updates. These progress updates will then be bi-monthly
- Autism Strategy Reference Group to meet monthly until Oct 24 then bi-monthly. Their role will be to update the motoring template and escalate any concerns.
- The Norfolk Autism Partnership will oversee the monitoring and progress on plans and also escalate any concerns to the Health and Wellbeing Board of the Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme Board.
6.5 Autism Strategy Oversight Group: Co-production opportunity
Who: autistic people of all ages, parents and carers
No of people: 4 allocated; 2 spaces left
When: monthly till Oct 24 then bi-monthly.
How: Microsoft Teams
What we will do together:
- review the partners’ plans
- consider any issues or gaps in the plans review the partners’ updates to monitor their
progress - report on progress and highlight any risks or issues to the NAPB
Involvement fee: paid by NAPB at usual rates
If interested, please contact: Tracey Walton or Karen Dures on adultautism@norfolk.gov.uk.
6.6 Voiceover for animation of the Strategy Summary
Who: an autistic person/people
No of people: 1-6
When: as soon as possible
How: In person / Microsoft Teams
What we will do together:
- Decide which sections of the animation will need voice over
- Record the voice over(s)
- Review the animation to ensure it is easily understood and accessible
Involvement fee: Dependant on time taken to record. If interested, please contact Lee Gibbons
contact@norfolkautismpartnership.org.uk
Agenda Item 7 : Any other business
7.1 No other business was raised
Date, time and location of next meeting
Tuesday 24th September 2024 11:00-13:00 (Microsoft Teams)