Ivan Lewis has announced a raft of measures which will build towards the a national adult autism strategy, including:
- A full time expert autism advisor post in the Department of Health with dedicated support
- The first major research study to uncover the numbers of adults with autism
- A new study into the support needs of young people with autism, linking to the Government's TransitionSupport Programme
- An autism summit focused on training for health and social care professionals
In a letter to Liz Sayce, RADAR Chief Executive, Mark Lever, Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society said:
"I believe these steps mark a significant shift in the department's approach to adults with autism. The NAS has been working closely with the Department to achieve these changes, but I know that they would not have been possible without your work and support and I wanted to let you know as soon as I could. I am keen to continue to work with you to ensure that this announcement translates to real change for adults with autism in their daily lives."