The mental health services for older people (MHSOP) team are based at The Old Vicarage in Seaham and started the pilot earlier this year.
It offers patients who could be autistic the opportunity to be assessed within the service. It looks to reduce the waiting time for receiving an autism assessment.
Above: The Easington MHSOP team
Changing the narrative
Ashley Campbell is the community team manager covering Seaham, Easington, Peterlee and surrounding villages.
She said: “Too often, autistic people wait too long for recognition, assessment, and the right support. This pilot gives us the chance to change that narrative.
Being a part of one of the first MHSOP teams to trial this nationally is both exciting and an opportunity to make a real difference.”
Most autistic elderly people in England are not diagnosed. Around 90% of middle-aged and older autistic adults in England are undiagnosed according to a review by King’s College London.
Above: Ashley Campbell and Dr Jonathan Summerill outside the Old Vicarage
Helping people to feel understood
The pilot is led by Dr Jonathan Summerill, a clinical psychologist, with support from the wider team and the Durham Tees Valley Adult Autism Service, part of our trust.
Dr Jonathan Summerill said: “Autism is a lifelong condition. However, autism awareness – and acceptance – has grown in recent years. This means autistic young people are more likely to receive a diagnosis in their childhood than previous generations.
Undiagnosed autistic adults may struggle to understand why they experience the world differently. Many experience mental health challenges. By offering assessments within the service, our team hopes to give people and their families answers.”
To be able to provide the assessments within the team, the service sought specialist training and guidance from established autism services.
Alan*, 66, was diagnosed as autistic in May by the service. He encourages others to seek an autism diagnosis, if they think they are autistic. He says the diagnosis has helped his family to understand him better. It has also helped him to receive mental health support.
Speaking about The Old Vicarage, he said: “There’s so much rapport and care and they just understand me.”
Providing answers and reducing inequalities
Dr Jonathan Summerill, said: “Many people can go through life without knowing that they are autistic and therefore not having their needs being fully met.
Providing people with a diagnosis can give them and their families many answers, including an increased understanding of themselves and how they can be best supported.
“Assessments are completed with two clinicians alongside the patient and their families. If the patient meets the criteria for diagnosis, we meet with the person to share the diagnosis with them and offer them post-diagnostic support.
“I am passionate about improving the inequalities that exist with older people. I am therefore keen for older people to be able to access an autism assessment just as much as anyone else. I have seen the benefits of offering an assessment for patients within the service so far.
What’s next?
“We are currently receiving feedback from patients, their families, and staff who have been involved in the assessment pathway,” says Dr Jonathan Summerill.
“We hope that we can continue to increase access for older people wanting an autism assessment, and support other services to do the same.”
The pilot team was shortlisted for the excellence in learning award in our Star Awards earlier this month.
*Alan’s name has been changed
