Autism protocol to tackle long delays for assessment of need still not rolled out, HSE says 

The average waiting time for assessment of need is now 27 months, the national autism charity AsIAm warned earlier this month. File picture

The HSE’s new autism protocol for assessment is still not in use, having been expected to roll out from early February, the HSE has confirmed.

The protocol is being set up to tackle spiralling waiting times for assessment of need, but has now hit its own roadblocks.

The average waiting time for assessment of need is now 27 months, the national autism charity AsIAm warned earlier this month. This is despite a legal requirement for those assessments to be completed within six months.

The HSE has previously said the new Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol was set to roll out in "early 2026".

In addition, chief executive Bernard Gloster told the Oireachtas health committee in early February that "the new autism protocol goes live for use in the health service" on February 9.

Neither of these projections has been on target.

A spokeswoman said the protocol “is in the final stages of approval, and the HSE will commence the national roll-out in the coming weeks". She did not explain why the rollout date had been changed.

She said the protocol would give families “much-needed clarity” around assessment.

It will also, she said, “reduce variation in practice, and ensure timely access to the right level of care".

Adults who suspect they have autism can self-refer to this pathway. Parents or guardians of children can also refer them directly.

This will be done using an online form, which will be available on the HSE website for “getting a referral to children's disability services”.

In addition, the spokeswoman said the protocol would be part of the HSE’s new streamlined referrals process for children’s services. This will see a ‘single point of access’ for children into all services, including disability, mental health and primary care.

“This will streamline the referral process for child and youth services and will still enable parents or guardians to ‘self-refer’,” she said.

“The application for assessment of need will remain unchanged.” 

Concerns have been raised already in the disability community about the purpose of this new autism protocol. It remains unclear, advocates say, how it will interact with the existing assessment system and how it will improve access to services.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Earlier this month, the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, called for change in the assessment processes.

“Change is urgently needed, and any reforms must ensure children’s timely access to services,” he told the Oireachtas disability committee.