Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the medical model of autism support in favour of strength-based, neuro-affirmative approaches.

The Government is committed to creating a more inclusive society where autistic people are supported to thrive. We value the unique strengths and skills that autistic people can bring to education, employment, and communities, and there is relevant work on inclusion ongoing in multiple Government departments.

For the National Health Service, our focus is to make sure the NHS is providing the right support to the right people at the right time. For people with suspected or diagnosed autism, the optimal approach is often to identify and meet needs early in life, and support and empower individuals, which need not always be reliant on a clinical diagnosis. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out the core principle of early intervention and support, without the need for diagnosis, including for children and young people.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The NICE guidelines on autism cover the different ways that health and care professionals can provide support for autistic people and aim to improve access and engagement with interventions and services.