Legal news July 2011

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Putting ‘Fulfilling and Rewarding lives’ into practice

The Autism Act was the first law in England to deal with the needs of people with Autism. It said the government had to tell local councils and the NHS how to support people with Autism. This was produced in December 2010.
Here are the five things the government said were the most important:

  1. make sure more people understand about Autism
  2. make it easier for adults to get a diagnosis of Autism. This means when a doctor tells someone they have Autism
  3. make it easier for adults with Autism to choose how they live and get

help to do this

  1. help adults with Autism to get a job
  2. help local councils and health services to write plans so that adults with Autism, who live in their area, get the help they need.

The guidance clearly says the local authority and the NHS:

  1. should provide Autism training for staff
  2. must provide specialist Autism training for key people such as GPs
  3. cannot refuse a community care assessment for adults which is

based only on their IQ

  1. must have someone to make sure all this happens in their area
  2. make sure people know how to get a diagnosis for their Autism

If this does not happen the NHS can be taken to court because it is the law.
You can find more information on www.autism.org.uk/autismstrategy
Reproduced from Bigger Voices Vol 1: Authors: Steve Watts (client) Tony Martyrs (advocate)

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