Models of providing specialist diagnosis and support services for adults with Asperger syndrome: the current situation

a) Background and objectives/introduction National clinical guidance and the relevant legislation recommend that every locality has a ‘Specialist Autism Team’ to provide or coordinate: diagnostic and assessment services;... [ view full abstract ]

a) Background and objectives/introduction
National clinical guidance and the relevant legislation recommend that every locality has a ‘Specialist Autism Team’ to provide or coordinate: diagnostic and assessment services; care and support; referrals and/or signposting to other services; and advice/ training about autism to other professionals. This paper reports a study which systematically mapped and investigated the ways different localities have gone about setting up such a service.

b) Methodology
A survey of locality Autism Leads, publicly available information on specialist autism services/provision, and web searches were used to identify services which, potentially, fulfilled the criteria of a ‘Specialist Autism Team’. The clinical or operational leads of 23/26 these services identified took part in semi-structured interview. Interview data was used to screen the services against the criteria for a Specialist Autism Team. Those fulfilling the criteria were taken forward to a fuller analysis, using quantitative and qualitative techniques.

c) Results
‘Specialist Autism Teams’ varied according to a number of characteristics including: skill mix, referral routes/eligibility criteria, funding, social care involvement, interventions provided, case management practices, support to family/carers, joint working, methods of up-skilling other professionals, and the provision of ‘low intensity’ support.

d) Conclusions
There is great variability in the way that ‘Specialist Autism Teams’ have been developed. There is currently no evidence on whether differences in service characteristics and practices impact on effectiveness, costs, and user experience. The next stage of our research is addressing this evidence gap through an evaluation of nine Specialist Autism Teams.

This study did not require ethical approval. [ view full abstract ]

This study did not require ethical approval.