Latest news on the NAS Website "NHS England publishes plan to transform autism care".
The plan, welcomed by NAS is to close 50% of inpatient beds for people with autism or learning disability in the next three years. The responsibility will shift to local authorities to make community provision.
Like where? How? With what? So there's a £45m budget - good news for administrators. How much of it will make provsions for care?
I can remember the Conservatives "Care in The Community" scheme to close down mental hospitals. Great idea to remove those ghastly places, but how many people slipped through all the safety nets and ended up living on the streets?
The incentive is similar - avoid bad care home situations. But the fact is councils aren't up to speed on autism. In particular they cannot seem to grasp that people with autism without a learning disability also need support.
I know....I must try to be more optimistic....give it a try. But besides more homeless people on the spectrum this will mean more interim burdens on families, especially at a time when respite centres are being squeezed.
I just hope NAS with its identity crisis - new articles for a Forum instead of a council etc - "has its eye on the ball" (whatever that means).
Doomed......
