Background to the Integrated Autism Service
Many autistic individuals cannot access diagnosis, emotional, behavioural, low level mental health or life skills support because they are not eligible for mental health and learning disability services.
In response, the Welsh Government has committed £13 million up to 2021 to develop an Integrated Autism Service (IAS) across Wales. The IAS will provide new adult diagnostic services; support, advice or appropriate signposting for autistic individuals (children and adults) along the lifespan, their families and carers; and training for professionals.
IAS ethos and functions
The ethos of the service is to improve access to appropriate advice, support and interventions needed where these are otherwise unavailable.
The IAS will provide the following functions:
• Assessment of adults who do not have a known moderate to severe learning disability or mental health difficulty
• Information/advice/support following assessment, and consultation in relation to the diagnostic assessment and support of adults with a known moderate to severe mental health difficulty or moderate to severe learning difficulty
• Support for adults with autism without a known moderate to severe learning disability or mental health difficulty
• Information/advice/support following assessment for children without a known moderate to severe learning disability or mental health difficulty
• Support for parents, families, partners and carers of individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the professionals that support them.
• Advice/training and support for agencies linking with people with ASD.
The service will not provide:
• Emergency / crisis intervention
• Respite care
• Rapid response.
In Western Bay, the IAS service is being delivered via the Western Bay Health and Social Care Collaborative and will be hosted by ABMU Health Board working directly in partnership with all local authority partners within the region; Bridgend CBC, Swansea Council, Neath Port Talbot CBC and the Third Sector. It is a pioneering new service that will work closely with services already in existence, including mental health and learning disability services. The team will also work with wider services such as leisure, education, primary and secondary care to enable ‘autism-friendly’ support . We are looking to recruit a team of people that have a dynamic, innovative approach to service delivery and have a passion for making a difference to the lives of people with autism and their families and carers.
If you are interested in applying to be part of this new and exciting service, a number permanent posts are available (see below).
Please click on the link alongside the relevant job title in order to access the application process:
- Clinical Psychologist: Advert to follow shortly
- Occupational Therapist: Closed
- Speech and Language Therapist: Closed
- Admin Co-ordinator: Closed
- Specialist Practitioner: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/article/47159/Specialist-ASD-Practitioner-closing-date-100119
- Well-being Support Worker (3 posts hosted by Neath Port Talbot): Closed
- Well-being Support Worker (1 post hosted by Bridgend): Closed
(Please note all posts will be based within the regional team and not the individual localities).
If you require further information on any of the above posts, please contact Catherine Vaughan, IAS Service Manager on 07870 856145 or email catherine.vaughan@wales.nhs.uk
