GPs have little confidence in their ability to care for patients with autism, a new report reveals.
The report highlights how nearly half of GPs (40 per cent) have not undergone any formal training in autism.
Professor Liz Pellicano: “An over-reliance on personal knowledge of autism might lead to GPs having a narrow, idiosyncratic view”
The findings come from a study by the Centre for Research in Autism and Education at University College London (UCL).
Around nine in ten of the doctors (91 per cent) reported having at least one patient with autism.
More local services needed
The research concludes that there is a need for more specialised local services. It also said there needs to be a clearer pathway to diagnosis for adults and children with autism.
Principal investigator Professor Liz Pellicano suggested GPs are relying on their own experiences of autism to fill in gaps in their knowledge. Such experiences had been gleaned through family members, friends or colleagues.
Almost half of the GPs who took part in the research had some personal connection to autism.
GPs may miss signs signs of autism
Pellicano discussed the research in an article in The Conversation, a website for academic news and views.
She wrote: “An over-reliance on personal knowledge of autism might lead to GPs having a narrow, idiosyncratic view of autism.
“This could result in GPs missing the signs of autism, especially in people who don’t neatly fit the autism stereotype (such as women and girls).”
The research found many doctors were unclear how to refer children and adults they suspect have autism. They complained about failings in the healthcare system connected to this lack of clarity.
Training ‘not very useful’
Pellicano suggested that of the GPs who had received autism training, almost half (40 per cent) did not find it very useful anyway.
The Royal College of General Practitioners was asked for a comment, but did not respond.
The study was titled GPs’ confidence in caring for their patients on the autism spectrum: an online self-report study.
It included responses from 304 doctors and was published online in the British Journal of General Practice.
Published: 27 May 2017
