1. Implementing NICE guidance on autism – developing a local autism team January 2014 Autism: the management and support of children and young people on the autism spectrum. NICE clinical guideline 170 (2013) Autism: recognition, referral, diagnosis and management of adults on the autism spectrum. NICE clinical guideline 142 (2012) Autism diagnosis in children and young people: recognition, referral and diagnosis of children and young people on the autism spectrum. NICE clinical guideline 128 (2011)

2. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Background Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Autism is thought to occur in at least 1% of children. Coordination between health agencies and other key services such as education, social care and the voluntary sector is important. If NICE guidelines are implemented, people with autism should enjoy an improved quality of life, increased personal autonomy and greater inclusion in every aspect of society.

3. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Session objectives NICE has developed an implementation pack, which provides the resources for 3 sessions to progress development of a local autism team. At the end of these sessions, participants will have: formed an autism strategy group mapped out the current autism service locally designed an autism service that meets NICE recommendations identified what additional skills and/or resources are needed to make these changes established the foundations for a local autism team created an action plan for change.

4. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Role of the strategy group Developing clear policy and protocols for the local autism pathway. Ensuring the provision of multi-agency training about all aspects of the pathway. Making sure that the relevant professionals and are aware of the pathway and how to access services. Supporting the integrated delivery of services across all care settings. Supporting the smooth transition to adult services for young people on the pathway. Auditing and reviewing the performance of the pathway.

5. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Session 1: Understanding your local autism service Purpose: The outcome of this session is to ensure that the strategy group has all the necessary information to design and develop a local autism team. Exercise 1: The purpose of a multi-agency local autism team (agree a working statement outlining the purpose and tasks of the multi-agency local autism team). Exercise 2: Review and map your current services. Exercise 3: Analyse your current service.

6. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Session 2: A vision for change Purpose: Members will design and develop a local autism team that is in line with NICE recommendations and meets the local needs identified in session 1. Exercise 4: What would a good autism team look like in your area? Exercise 5: Getting from where you are to where you want to be.

7. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Session 3: Creating the team Purpose: At the end of this session you should have the foundations of your local autism team in place and have an action plan for its development. Exercise 6: Working with current staff and resources. Exercise 7: An action plan for the team. Exercise 8: Monitoring progress.

8. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Local autism teams An autism team is a multidisciplinary group that has the skills or access to the skills to: carry out a diagnostic assessment offer information about appropriate services and support provide or organise interventions and care.

9. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Local autism team – core staff Children’s services Paediatrician or paediatric neurologist and/or child and adolescent psychiatrist Speech and language therapist Clinical and/or educational psychologist Occupational therapistSocial workerSupport staff Adult services PsychiatristNurseSpeech and language therapist Clinical psychologist Occupational therapistSocial workerSupport staff

10. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Children and young people’s services Autism teams should have a key role in providing: assessment and management of autism specialist care and interventions access to related services support for families local protocols advice, training and support for staff.

11. Implementing NICE guidance www.nice.org.uk Adult services Autism teams should have a key role in providing: access to appropriate mainstream services support for individuals and agencies across the pathway access to local diagnostic assessment post-diagnostic support ongoing support for people with complex needs liaison with health and social care staff autism training to frontline staff help for families and carers.