AN independent expert in autism has concluded in a new report that children across Barrow are waiting years for a diagnosis within Cumbria's broken assessment system.

The document, made public for the first time today, outlines a host of criticisms reflecting concerns put forward by families throughout Furness through the Evening Mail's Healthy Young Minds campaign.

It states children and young people can wait for up to three years for a diagnosis, assessments are held in locations that are not child friendly, reports and letters can take up to four months to type and parents are regularly told they are not allowed to know when a meeting concerning their child is to take place.

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The author of the report, consultant Dr Karen Horridge, highlights the commitment and enthusiasm shown by staff throughout Cumbria.

But she states longstanding issues with the system have resulted in families losing confidence that the county's autism assessment service is fit for purpose.

But the specialist now in charge of services for children with autistic spectrum disorder - who commissioned the report this summer - has welcomed its findings as he pledged to transform the way children are diagnosed with the disorder over the next 12 months.

Consultant and associate medical director for the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Raj Verma, took over the reins to the community paediatric service in July.

He has already begun a process of wholescale change in his bid to make the service one of the best in the country.

"Comparing it with my previous experience, there seemed to be a lot of complaints about the system" Dr Verma said.

"We have staff who are experienced and want to do their best. But it is the system itself that isn't working.

"With this report I welcome the negatives, it had to be honest and brutal so that we can use it to target improvements so that we can work towards our ambition which is to make this one of the best services for children and their families in the country."

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There are estimated to be more than 300 children waiting for a diagnosis across the county following a referral.

Dr Verma is hoping to get through the caseload by early next year in time for the launch of a new pathway through the process - during which families will be kept informed at each stage.

It is hoped children and young people referred for assessment will be seen within the national target time of 18 weeks - receiving a diagnosis, where appropriate, within six to eight months.

Education and training for everyone involved in working with children and young people about referrals and the service itself, as well as ensuring all agencies involved with children in Cumbria, including GPs, schools and social services, will be paramount, Dr Verma added.

"Our ambitions for this service are achievable, I'm very positive about that," he told the Evening Mail.

"You may not be able to see autism in the way you can see physical conditions such as cerebral palsy in children, but it should never be ignored which is how some parents have felt.

"I hope we will see some major improvements in the system throughout 2017."

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