The National Autistic Society Cymru

Pembrokeshire Branch

C/O 6&7 Village Way

Greenmeadow Springs Business Park

Cardiff

CF15 7NE

25 October 2013

William Powell AM

Chair, Petitions Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay

CF99 1NA

Dear William Powell

The Pembrokeshire branch of the National Autistic Society Cymru [NAS Cymru] welcomes the 16 October 2013 response from the Deputy Minister for Social Services and her recognition of the importance of a timely diagnosis of autism in every area of Wales.

We are extremely pleased that the Deputy Minister will write to all of the Health Boards in Wales to:

• obtain information from them on how long children have to wait for a diagnosis of autism; and
• on their implementation of the NICE guidelines on diagnosis of autism for children.

We note the Deputy Minister’s intention that the information provided will inform the work of the ASD Stakeholder Advisory, of which NAS Cymru is a member. We also ask that the Deputy Minister shares that information directly with the Petitions Committee and makes it publically available.

We welcome the fact that the Deputy Minister’s officials will monitor implementation of Hywel Dda’s action plan to address the waiting list in Pembrokeshire and that she will share that information with the Petitions Committee in February 2014. We would be grateful for the Petitions Committee to ensure that NAS Pembrokeshire branch is kept abreast of progress on the action plan.

We look forward to hearing the Committee’s response

Kind regards

Lisa Phillips

NAS Pembrokeshire branch