DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 29 April 2009
Minister receives
first responses to Autism consultation in person
Five people with Autism Spectrum Conditions will meet with Care
Services Minister Phil Hope to respond in person to a consultation
on Autism which launches today.
The meeting will appear online on the National Autistic Society
website, You Tube and the new Department of Health consultation
webpage . The issues raised will be formally submitted as the
first responses to the consultation, which asks for opinions on
what should be in the Government's National Autism Strategy
to be published later this year.
The consultation will run for 20 weeks and seeks views from
people with autism, their families, their carers and those
involved in delivering services, to make sure that the final
strategy makes a real difference on the ground.
People responding to the consultation will be asked for their
views on five key themes. They are:
* Health
* Social Inclusion
* Choice and Control
*
Awareness raising and training for staff
* Access to training
and employment
As well as writing and e-mailing their views, people can respond
to the consultation by:
* filling in a questionnaire that can be completed online or on
paper and by individuals or groups;
* taking part in a locally organised stakeholder discussion event
- a consultation pack can be downloaded from the Department of
Health website;
* taking part in a regional discussion event; or
* logging on to the discussion forum at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en//en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_098587
Ministers have already committed to issuing statutory guidance to
ensure the final strategy has teeth and is put into practice at a
local level.
Phil Hope said:
"People with Autistic Spectrum Conditions should have the
same rights and freedom to enjoy life as everyone else.
"I want as many people as possible to respond to the
consultation and let us know about their experiences, in their communities.
"The people I've met have strong opinions on what
changes will make a difference to their day to day lives. With
their responses to the consultation, and the views of people from
across the country, we can make sure that the national strategy
we'll publish at the end of the year really delivers where it counts."
Mark Lever, Chief Executive of The National Autistic Society and
chair of the strategy's External Reference Group, said:
"After months of campaigning, the Government have given
adults with autism an unprecedented opportunity to have their say
in a strategy which could make a real difference. It is important
that as many people affected by autism as possible take part to
help shape the final strategy and the action that is needed at a
local and national level. Without the right support autism can
have a profound and sometimes devastating effect, so I urge the
Government to reaffirm their commitment to giving the strategy the
legal force, which is absolutely necessary to deliver real change."
ENDS.
Notes to editors
1. For media enquiries only please contact the Department of
Health newsdesk on 02072105221.
2. A film of the first responses to the consultation can be seen
on the national Autistic Society website at http://www.nas.org.uk/ and at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en//en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_098587
3. The consultation period is 29th April - 15th September. This
is a period of 20 weeks which is significantly longer than the
Cabinet Office requirement to consult for a minimum of 12 weeks.
4. The consultation and the final strategy relate to England
only. Services for adults with Autistic Spectrum Conditions in
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the
devolved administrations.
5. The consultation document is available electronically and in
hard copy. Easy-read and plain language versions are available.
Hard copies of the consultation document can be obtained by
contacting 0300 123 1002, e-mail dh@prolog.uk.com, fax: 01623 724
524, minicom: 0300 123 1003 (8am to 6pm, Mon-Fri) or logging on to
http://www.orderline.dh.gov.uk.
Please quote 295339 / A consultation on a future strategy for
adults with autistic spectrum conditions. You can also write to:
DH Publications Orderline
PO Box 777
London SE1 6XH
People can respond to the consultation by:
Writing to us at:
Adult Autism Strategy
Consultation
Department of Health
Rm 124, Wellington
House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8UG
Emailing us at:
autism@dh.gsi.gov.uk
Writing to us on-line at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/index.htm
Filling in a questionnaire online or on paper The questionnaire
is available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/index.htm
Taking part in a stakeholder discussion event Stakeholders are
encouraged to run their own consultation events. A consultation
pack can be downloaded from the Department of Health website
Taking part in a regional discussion event Go to http://www.dh.gov.uk/en//en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_098587
to register interest in taking part
Logging on to the discussion forum at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en//en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_098587