Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing  

The Committee considered a joint report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People (Appendix A to the signed minutes of the meeting) (i) informing them of the draft Staffordshire Autism Implementation Plan 2020-2023 which had been prepared following adoption of the County Council’s Staffordshire Whole Life Disability Strategy (WLDS), in June 2018 and; (ii) seeking pre-decision scrutiny of the policies/procedures contained in the draft Plan.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing who presented the report.

The WLDS aimed to ensure that people with any disability (i) were able to do things for themselves as much as they could with a focus on ability rather than disability; (ii) were as independent as they could be for as long as they could and; (iii) used what was available in their communities first rather than using paid for services.  

The draft Autism Plan (i) aimed to encourage all services and organisations to ‘think autism’ so as to maximise opportunities to help people live fulfilling lives and feel part of society and; (ii) bring together the various organisations which funded and provided care and support so that services were configured in such a way as to best meet the needs of Autistic people using the scarce resources available

During the full and wide-ranging discussion which ensued, a Member sought details of current waiting times for people wishing to access Autism services. In reply the Director of Health and Care undertook to contact Clinical Commissioning Groups in this respect and forward the information on to the Member in due course.   

Members then commented/gave their views on the draft proposals, as follows:- (i) efforts should be made to maintain engagement by Clinical Commissioning Groups in order to ensure that the Plan could be implemented in a timely manner; (ii) there should be a greater emphasis on the role of the NHS in particular in meeting the needs of people with Autism through staff training and awareness raising; (iii) the importance of developing an Autism friendly culture with all stakeholder organisations should be highlighted in the Plan; (iv) the transport needs of people with Autism should be considered as part of their assessment process; (v) there should be consideration of the various dangers faced by people with Autism in respect of exploitation, safeguarding and the Prevent Agenda; (vi) the Authority’s commitment to work with the Department for Work and Pensions should also include Job Centre Plus; (vii) the commitment to work with Criminal Justice Services should include identification of how the needs of people with Autism could be embedded within the system; (viii) an awareness of the needs of people with Autism should be raised within schools, particularly at Primary level and; (ix) all Stakeholders (including District and Borough Councils) should commit to share relevant information regarding people with Autism, where necessary to ensure successful delivery of the plan.

The Chairman then thanked the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for an interesting and informative presentation and the opportunity to provide pre-decision scrutiny on a key area of the Authority’s health and wellbeing policy.  

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the above-mentioned comments comprise the Committee’s formal response to the County Council’s draft Staffordshire Autism Implementation Plan 2020-2023.