Children in Hampshire face almost two-year delay for autism diagnosis

Children will be waiting 703 days on average to be formally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a recent NHS Hampshire report suggests.

Steve Trembath, the deputy director of mental health, learning disabilities and autism at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, outlined the issue during a recent Hampshire County Council meeting. 

Mr Trembath said that the main issue preventing a reduced wait time was workforce.

He stated that the NHS have increased its capacity by 29% in the current year, yet the demand for formal diagnoses continues to expand. 

For many families and young people, a formal diagnosis for autism remains crucial for their wellbeing. 

The diagnosis is often sought out since it allows an individual and their caregivers to access the necessary support, and services which are tailored to the young person’s “very unique set of characteristics and needs”, says Mr Trembath. 

To receive a diagnosis, the young person must undergo an interview used to assess them, referred to as “DISCO”.

According to the National Autistic society, DISCO training is often administered to professionals, such as psychiatrists. 

The society claims that early diagnosis is associated with an improvement in behaviour within the first two years, and younger children who have been formally diagnosed may benefit more from interventions. 

For many, having the label allows the system to work in their favour, since a formal diagnosis can help reduce stigma and discrimination for a young person. 

Many county councillors were appalled by the delay in diagnosis.

Councillor Juliette Henderson urged these to be updated, in hope that this will shorten the “shocking” waiting period for many young people.

The Hampshire NHS sector for children’s mental health and autism will be launching a new programme, following a “needs lead approach ”. 

It pledges that every child in Hampshire will have an integrated neurodivergent team by March 2026, Mr Trembath says. 

The initiative will also offer parents online support as a tool kit, while running workshops in person. 

There will be no barrier of diagnosis within the programme, Mr Trembath told councillors, meaning that all children and young people can access support regardless of having a formal diagnosis.

This won’t stop after a young person is diagnosed, and “continued communication” will help support them as they need, Mr Trembath said.

The use of AI was a prominent topic of discussion in the council meeting. 

The future of diagnostic pathways for autism remains hopeful, as studies continue to investigate how AI can help simplify autism assessments.

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