Asked by: Lord Adebowale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the interim report of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism, published on 31 March, whether the final report of the Review will address the evidence on Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol and other substances, including the misidentification of these conditions as ADHD or autism; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism is examining changes in population prevalence, levels of psychological distress, recorded diagnosis and referral, and perceived need for support. A key aim of the review is to understand how these relate to one another. The review is also considering how current support systems work in practice. This includes whether diagnosis has too often become the only gateway to help, and how earlier intervention and preventative support are best offered within and beyond the National Health Service. The review is independent of the Government, and it is for the chair and vice chairs to determine the specific issues the review considers.
The review’s interim report, published at the end of March, sets out the evidence reviewed so far on prevalence, describes the impact of rising demand for diagnosis and support, identifies where the evidence is uncertain, and outlines the key questions for the next phase. It does not offer final conclusions or recommendations.
The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
A central concern of the review is that access to recognition, diagnosis, and support is uneven. The next phase will examine inequalities in prevalence, diagnosis, support, and outcomes in more detail, including variation by ethnicity, age, sex, deprivation, and other characteristics.
Asked by: Lord Adebowale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the interim report of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism, published on 31 March, what steps they are taking to ensure that the final report addresses race as a structural determinant of neurodevelopmental diagnosis and access to support, as distinct from ethnicity as a self-reported cultural category.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism is examining changes in population prevalence, levels of psychological distress, recorded diagnosis and referral, and perceived need for support. A key aim of the review is to understand how these relate to one another. The review is also considering how current support systems work in practice. This includes whether diagnosis has too often become the only gateway to help, and how earlier intervention and preventative support are best offered within and beyond the National Health Service. The review is independent of the Government, and it is for the chair and vice chairs to determine the specific issues the review considers.
The review’s interim report, published at the end of March, sets out the evidence reviewed so far on prevalence, describes the impact of rising demand for diagnosis and support, identifies where the evidence is uncertain, and outlines the key questions for the next phase. It does not offer final conclusions or recommendations.
The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
A central concern of the review is that access to recognition, diagnosis, and support is uneven. The next phase will examine inequalities in prevalence, diagnosis, support, and outcomes in more detail, including variation by ethnicity, age, sex, deprivation, and other characteristics.
Asked by: Lord Adebowale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the final report of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism will assess whether framing rising diagnostic rates primarily as a demand management problem may compound existing inequalities in neurodevelopmental identification and support.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism is examining changes in population prevalence, levels of psychological distress, recorded diagnosis and referral, and perceived need for support. A key aim of the review is to understand how these relate to one another. The review is also considering how current support systems work in practice. This includes whether diagnosis has too often become the only gateway to help, and how earlier intervention and preventative support are best offered within and beyond the National Health Service. The review is independent of the Government, and it is for the chair and vice chairs to determine the specific issues the review considers.
The review’s interim report, published at the end of March, sets out the evidence reviewed so far on prevalence, describes the impact of rising demand for diagnosis and support, identifies where the evidence is uncertain, and outlines the key questions for the next phase. It does not offer final conclusions or recommendations.
The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
A central concern of the review is that access to recognition, diagnosis, and support is uneven. The next phase will examine inequalities in prevalence, diagnosis, support, and outcomes in more detail, including variation by ethnicity, age, sex, deprivation, and other characteristics.
Asked by: Lord Adebowale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the final report of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism examines the relationship between neurodevelopmental under-identification and long-term disengagement from education and employment.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Young People and Work independent investigation, led by Alan Milburn, considers the drivers of the rise in young people who are out of employment, education, and training (NEET). Increased reporting of ill health as a primary reason for being NEET among young people since 2015 is driven primarily by mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.
The Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism has been investigating changes in the diagnosis of these conditions and will be cross-referenced in the forthcoming first report of the Young People and Work review. The two reviews will need to continue to work together to consider the effects of under-diagnosis on employment and educational outcomes.