Shocking data shows thousands of Hampshire and Isle of Wight children waiting over a year for autism tests

In Hampshire, there are currently 7,000 children and young people on the waiting list for autism services assessments. Current data from NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight highlights a concerning average wait time of 18 months for a clinical diagnosis.

However, this can change across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with waiting times ranging from 12 to 36 months, depending on the age group and specific service area. Despite NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight increasing funding for autism and ADHD services by 48 per cent in 2024/25, the organisation indicated that the continued high demand for assessment services has led to minimal access improvements.

A diagnosis is often necessary to access treatment, services, and support that can help improve symptoms and overcome challenges. However, this demand continues to drive the need for assessment services. In Hampshire, 91.5 per cent of children and young people wait at least 13 weeks for an assessment, compared with 87.3 per cent across England.

At a Hampshire County Council meeting, Jenny Erwin, director of mental health and learning disabilities at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said parents want a diagnosis not only to access core services or treatments but to understand how to help their children and provide them with the right support at home. To mitigate the crisis, the NHS re-commissioned services and increased assessment for children and young people by 20 per cent.

However, Cllr Joane Burton said that despite intervention being “fantastic”, prevention is the key since the situation is escalating progressively. She asked if they were “ever going to catch up” with the waiting list. Mrs Erwin said that while the NHS recognised it is a “critical” area for them, it is something that they can’t solve alone.

Mrs Erwin: “It’s a whole system case. The NHS can’t solve this problem. We need to rely on all our partners. It is a complex area, and it is not one the NHS needs to be at the heart of solving; in terms of the NHS solution, we need to do it with all our partners implementing and supporting.”

Cllr Burton stated that the pressure on the NHS affects education and teaching. She believes that parents are also placing pressure on both systems and expect them to solve the problem.

Director of children’s services, Stuart Ashley, supported the comments made by Cllr Burton. He said that the long-term solution would be investing in early support intervention. However, the council does not have money from the government to develop the early interventions.

Alison Woodward said that “everybody” is lobbying for early intervention. She added: “There is an acknowledgement that children being part of early intervention support stop the escalation of these issues.”