North Yorkshire and York Health and Care Partnership is removing access to autism and ADHD assessment and diagnoses for adults.
York Disability Rights Forum reports that in a pilot which started in March of this year, the group has only offered pathways to people at immediate risk of self harm or harm to others; a risk of being unable to have planned life-saving hospital treatment, operations, or care placements; or an imminent risk of family court decisions determined on diagnosis, for example family breakdowns or custody hearings.
People who don’t meet these criteria will be sent away to do a questionnaire.
Commissioners have said they need to “stem the flow” of referrals because of funding limits.
DR UK’s Anna Morell said: “While online questionnaires are often a first step for many people becoming aware of their neurodiversity, they are not diagnostic tools, and cannot act as evidence for disability benefits or access to medications (people with ADHD often choose to take medication to manage their conditions).
“It would be unthinkable for a healthcare trust or partnership to deny diagnoses of physical disabilities or conditions such as cancer. It is appalling that neurodiverse conditions are not considered to be disabilities which need diagnoses in the same bracket.
To yet again put the emphasis on ‘stemming the flow’ of referrals rather than the stemmed flow of vital resources is a horrible turn of phrase which makes Disabled people sound like the problem rather than the problem being the systemic erosion of appropriate funding and services.”