Plans have been announced to expand hub facilities for people on the autism spectrum in Gateshead.
A total of £100,000 of funding, over two years, has been allocated by the North East and Cumbria Integrated Care Board to help establish five new autism hubs across Gateshead. Health bosses hope to recreate the work done at the Elgin Centre’s autism sessions in Deckham.
The hubs will aim to help families and those living with autism before and after a diagnosis. It is hoped the hubs will also cut down waiting lists for the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust.
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According to the National Autistic Society, more than one in 100 people live with autism and in the UK around 700,000 live with autism in the UK.
Angela Kumar, mental health, learning disability and autism portfolio manager said: “One of the key things we recognised, especially from a local authority’s perspective, was we didn't have any autism pre or post-diagnostic support. As part of the ICB, we got some funding to develop this.
“We are also talking about working with other hubs like family hubs, mental health hubs. We are hoping this will help support waiting lists that the CNTW have and to offer parents and carers some support around pre and post-diagnosis.”
Coun Lynne Caffrey, chair of Gateshead Council’s health and wellbeing board, said: “We found in our ward this explosion in the number of people who have been diagnosed with autism and we have got one small project which is now a hub for people who have ADHD and autism.
“The project now has 80 people who regularly use them, and that's just a small area in West Gateshead, and that must just be the tip of the iceberg.”
The initiative has now gone to procurement to find a provider for the hubs.
