BRADFORD Council is “falling short of its ambitions” when it comes to helping local people with autism.

At a meeting on Wednesday Councillors will discuss what is being done to improve the lives of people in the district with autism, and will set up an “Autism Strategy Group” to look at problems they may face.

Last summer a report by Healthwatch Bradford revealed the stark situations many people with autism face, including long waits to be assessed and a lack of understanding of the condition from professionals such as GPs.

When the Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee discussed the report in August, they were told that some people with autism considered taking their own lives after they were unable to get the support and services they need.

The committee will once again discuss the issue at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

A report to the committee recaps the issues raised by Healthwatch, and adds: “The cumulative impact of these issues has an often devastating effect on the mental health of autistic people and their families.”

Bradford people with autism have 'contemplated suicide' due to lack of support, meeting told

The Council has since carried out a self assessment of its autism services, and found there are numerous issues with what is currently on offer. The report adds: “The self- assessment shows that in Bradford, eight years after the Autism Act 2010 came into law and the NHS Autism Strategy ’Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives’ was published, we are still falling short of our ambitions for people with autism.

“Particular challenges are in relation to the quality of our data that would allow a clearer picture of how the

system is responding to people with autism.”

Members of the committee will be asked to support setting up an “Autism Strategy Group who will oversee the delivery of an action plan that will demonstrate improvements for people with autism in Bradford.”

The committee will also be given responses by the Council and local health services to the Healthwatch report from last year.

On the lack of awareness of the conditions from front line staff, the report says: “Raising awareness about autism and training to support this has been identified as a priority for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health Care Partnership.”

The Committee meets in City Hall at 4.30pm.