Health and social care minister Matt Hancock says he wants to help build a society where autistic people can enjoy their daily lives “without fear of judgement”.
Hancock wants to raise awareness of autism so people are more understanding of the challenges faced by those living with the condition.
Matt Hancock, who says he wants an awareness-raising campaign to broaden understanding of the challenges autistic people face
Writing for Politics Home, Hancock told how he visited autism support charity the Sycamore Trust, in Dagenham.
‘Brilliant presentation’
While there, Hancock said he heard a “brilliant presentation” from autism ambassadors. They brought home to him the challenges of sensory overload by “surrounding me with people shouting about their week”.
Hancock stressed that autism and learning disabilities form one of four priority areas in the new NHS long-term plan.
The health secretary says he is “passionate about building a more autism-aware and inclusive society”.
Campaigning parent
Isabelle Garnett is a campaigning parent and a leading advocate of the #HumanToo social media campaign. The campaign aims to get autistic people out of long-stay hospitals.
With husband Robin, Garnett fought to get their son Matthew out of long-stay hospital St Andrew’s Healthcare, in Northampton.
She said while awareness-raising might be helpful, it would not deliver the additional support autistic people need.
Better training was needed in health, education, social care and emergency services, she said.
‘This should be Matt Hancock’s most urgent priority’
She stressed that “thousands of autistic people” remain in long-stay hospitals. This was despite government promises to heavily reduce numbers in the facilities.
Garnett said: “They are there because the right support has yet to be built to meet their needs in the community.
“This should be Matt Hancock’s most urgent priority.”
Related:
- Watchdog slams NHS’s grasp of autism
- Hospital placed in special measures
- Crisis keeps 2,500 in treatment units
- Parents fight assessment/treatment units
- Centre pins patients face down 600 times
- Parents forced to launch petitions
Published: 15 April 2019
