PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(7 March 2025)

Autistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. Integrated care boards and health professionals should have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning and providing health care services, including autism assessment services. NICE guidelines and quality standards set out evidence for good practice in autism assessments. This includes the recommended autism assessment tools and processes employed.

In 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services which identifies the stages and processes of undertaking an autism assessment and places an emphasis on gathering sufficient information and evidence to reach a robust clinical opinion.

Clinicians may use questionnaires to support identification, screening, and triage, as well as structured or semi-structed interview tools and/or schedules to support assessments. NHS England has commissioned Autistica to review tools used for screening and triage in the autism assessment pathway, and to produce a set of criteria that services can use when deciding which tools are appropriate for use in their service.

The NICE guidelines on autism diagnosis for people under 19 years old also set out considerations for clinicians, which includes recognition that they should pay attention to the potential under-diagnosis of girls when assessing for suspected autism.