Date & Venue:
Microsoft Teams (Online Meeting)
Key Highlights:
- Leadership & Governance Updates:
- Minutes and action log approved.
- Representation secured on the Learning Disability & Autism (LD&A) Programme Board, with ongoing discussions about its structure and role.
- Diagnosis Waiting List Updates:
- Adult Diagnosis: 1,041 adults waiting, with 92 new referrals per month.
- Additional funding confirmed for 2023/24 to reduce waiting times through external providers.
- Discussions ongoing about potential financial support for private diagnosis, following a model used in Hampshire.
- Autism and Suicide Prevention Initiatives:
- Working group established to explore links between autism and suicide risk.
- Challenges in recording autism diagnoses in mental health data highlighted as a barrier to accurate research.
- Stocktake of mental health services for autistic people planned, aiming to improve accessibility and relevance.
- Norfolk Autism Directory Launch:
- Invitations sent to partners to join the directory.
- Launch delayed beyond Autism Acceptance Week (2–8 April 2024) due to finalisation issues.
- Social Care Conversations – New Guidance:
- Two new documents created to help autistic adults navigate social care assessments.
- Guides will be published on the NAPB website and shared with social care teams.
- Future discussions planned about developing similar resources for Children’s Services.
- Norfolk Autism Strategy Refresh:
- Draft strategy in development, with an extraordinary meeting scheduled for 30 April 2024 to gather final feedback.
- Members asked to review the draft strategy, consider implementation approaches, and propose launch ideas.
- Charging Reference Policy Consultation:
- Norfolk County Council presented on proposed changes to non-residential care charges.
- Concerns raised about transparency, financial impact, and phased implementation options.
- Consultation open until 19 May 2024, with a working group proposed to submit a formal response.
Next Steps:
- Continue discussions on funding options for reducing waiting times and private diagnosis support.
- Publish Social Care Conversation guidance online and explore Children’s Services equivalent.
- Gather final feedback and prepare for Norfolk Autism Strategy launch.
- Submit a NAPB response to the Charging Reference Policy consultation.
Next Meeting: 30 April 2024, Microsoft Teams.
To read the full minutes click here