ABP minutes - 26 November 2024
Autism Partnership Board
Time: 10am to 12.30pm
Venue: Microsoft Teams virtual meeting / County Hall, Lewes
Chair: Sam Williams, Assistant Director Strategy, Commissioning and Supply Management
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies
Sam welcomed everyone to the meeting including 3 new attendees. Introductions were made and apologies noted.
It was confirmed that it has been agreed to recruit to a new Project and Engagement Manager.
2. Agree minutes from previous meeting
The minutes from the meeting held on 24 July 2024 were accepted as an accurate record of discussions.
3. Actions from previous meeting
Actions 38, 53 and 60 to be closed. Key notes below:
Action 34 Autism diagnostic pathway: We are still waiting on feedback from NHS Sussex about waiting list data. This is still ongoing.
Action 38: SC has met with Claire Witz from Sussex Chamber of Commerce to discuss alignment of the East Sussex action plan with the work Sussex Chamber of Commerce have completed through Future Skills Sussex in relation to neurodiversity. We have agreed to share communications for Autism Acceptance Week.
Action 51: Suicide Prevention Board. Positive input has been received from public health colleagues. The next stage is to develop a project brief to outline how the facilitated sessions will be held. This is ongoing and will be continued once the new Project and Engagement Manager starts.
Action 60 digital flags: SC has arranged a meeting with Edel Parsons to discuss further how we can promote the digital flags for reasonable adjustments. This is also a proposed action within the East Sussex All Age Action Plan which is being developed.
4. Autism action plan
Update from Autism Action and Planning Group
JG gave an update from the Autism Action and Planning Group. Meetings are being held every 2 to 4 weeks. Key actions achieved since the last Board meeting include:
- planning and preparation of the stakeholder workshops held in September and October, including testing how the whiteboards would be used
- reviewed the current draft of action plan and autism branding
- reviewed the draft co-chair job description.
- individuals from the Action and Planning Group will be involved with the recruitment of the Project and Engagement Manager role
Autism prevalence data
SC shared a presentation which was distributed on the 22 November. Key points below:
- Acknowledged that it is difficult to identify the number of autistic people in East Sussex. SC has worked with Public Health colleagues to compare East Sussex data with national research.
- Data suggests under diagnosis for adults in East Sussex.
- There is a known 15% overlap of those with autism and learning disabilities.
- There is a 18% overlap of those with autism and ADHD, but international data suggests this is likely to be much higher in reality.
- 29% of autistic people diagnosed are female and 71% are male.
- Higher expected prevalence of autism in the looked-after children population.
- Higher % of autistic people live in the most deprived areas of East Sussex.
- We have been unable to get data relating to individuals within the Criminal Justice system within East Sussex
If individuals are currently on waiting lists, these numbers are not included within figures.
There was a Board discussion around those wanting and needing diagnosis. Under the Equality Act (2010) individuals do not require a formal diagnosis to access services. However, many feel that having a diagnosis improved their mental health and understanding of themselves and what support they required.
Actions
- SC to find out if there is any data around autism diagnosis of non-binary individuals.
- SC to discuss further with TCG data around individuals within the criminal justice system.
- SC to discuss with NHS Sussex Neurodevelopmental Pathway programme diagnosis and who would most benefit or be a higher priority.
- SC to link up with JG to discuss her work around physical health and autism to ensure that it is reflected in the data.
- SC to organise an update on the NHS Sussex Neurodevelopmental Pathway for a future Board meeting.
5. Other business
Oliver McGowan training update
AC shared a presentation on the Oliver McGowan training (OMMT). Key points below:
- e-Learning tier 1 training became available in 2022 but face to face training is not yet available locally.
- 1286 ESCC staff have completed the OMMT in the last 20 months.
- Adult Social Care teams have also attended further autism training sessions:
- Autism introduction: 145
- Autism and women: 23
- Autism and communication: 28
- Autism meltdowns and shutdowns: 26
- The draft OMMT code of practice was consulted on in September 2023 but is yet to be published.
- The draft document stated it would be a requirement that all CQC regulated service staff receive learning disability (LD) and autism training appropriate to their role, and the OMMT is the government’s recommended package to meet the legislative requirements.
- In the meantime, Skills for Care have updated their guidance on mandatory training which now lists LD and autism as mandatory for all staff (rather than additional depending on job role)
Next steps
- Develop a 1 day, in person, LD and autism training which will meet most of the requirements of the draft Code of Practice to start in April 2025.
- Identify how existing training provision links to actions from the Autism All Age Action Plan.
- Consider a pilot for Autism Champions in ASCH
Action: TC-G to send AC / SC details relating to the National Autism Training Programme.
SEDS-Connective
JG confirmed that the Royal College of Psychiatry has put Ehlers-Danlos and joint hypermobility as co-occurrence along with autism, mental health, ADHD and dyslexia. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy has added symptomatic hypermobility as a co-occurrence.
Action: JG to share resources with SC.
Read AI notes
A discussion around the use of Read AI notes during the Autism Partnership Board, with concerns raised around governance, privacy and storage. However it was recognised that some employees find them very useful.
It was confirmed that whilst ESCC do not restrict the use of AI notetaking programmes currently they do not endorse them.
Action: Further discussions to be had with ESCC IT colleagues on use of AI notes at Board meetings, and potential data protection issues associated with them.
APB branding
SC shared a presentation at the meeting showing various designs for a logo which have already been discussed at the Action & Planning Group.
Decision: Consensus given by attendees on the preferred logo, which is a combination of the Infinity logo with the East Sussex county image.
Date of next meeting
The next meeting is on Thursday 13 February 2025.