What is it about?
Growing diagnostic rates in autism have highlighted the inadequacy and inequity of support services. Autistic individuals experience health inequalities, poorer health outcomes, higher unemployment rates, and greater social distress compared to the general population. This opinion piece argues there is a clear and urgent need for post-diagnostic support services across the UK, with Learning Disability Nurses best placed to deliver them.
Featured Image
Photo by Jean-Paul TRIVEL on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Providing proactive post-diagnostic support is more cost-effective than managing crises through reactive care. Early intervention reduces the need for emergency services and improves long-term outcomes for autistic individuals. Tailored post-diagnostic services would address current inequities by meeting individual needs and preventing the crises and avoidable harm that many autistic people currently experience.
Perspectives
My hope is that this article sparks meaningful consideration of post-diagnostic autism services as essential, not optional. The future of care lies in diverse teams working collaboratively to deliver bespoke support that truly addresses each person's unique needs.
Sarah Mackay
Northumbria University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Surviving, not thriving: the crisis of post-diagnostic autism support, British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, October 2025, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjnn.2025.0068.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
