PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Autism (12 July 2018)

We know that approximately half a million people in England are estimated to have an autism spectrum disorder, but data is not collected centrally on how many people aged 25 or over have received a formal diagnosis, or the level of support they receive. Data is likewise not collected centrally on the numbers of people diagnosed in a particular constituency or local authority area.

Data on autism diagnosis waiting times has started to be collected centrally by NHS Digital from April this year as part of the Mental Health Services Data Set. The first annual report of this data will be published during 2019.

As at 31 May 2018, 565 people with an autistic spectrum condition have been in hospital continuously for more than two years, in an inpatient bed for mental and/or behavioural healthcare needs. Of these people, 460 are male and 100 are female.