An information request by the Isle of Wight County Press has revealed high numbers of children awaiting a diagnosis for either autism or ADHD, however much of the data we requested in an FOI was 'not held' by the Isle of Wight NHS Trust.

Autism diagnoses figures appear to show things have actually improved since 2019, when 637 Island families were on a waiting list.

However since March 2022, when 334 children were awaiting an autism diagnosis, the list has been growing. By March 2023, it was up by around 100 - to 427 families.

Less information was available about ADHD diagnoses.

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The Isle of Wight NHS Trust does not hold pre-2022 ADHD waiting list records, however it did reveal 475 children were awaiting an assessment in April 2023.

That was the month Isle of Wight families spoke of their disgust and disappointment when NHS ADHD diagnoses were indefinitely postponed.

Only children referred by the Isle of Wight's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the Looked After Children team or the Youth Offending team would be able to access assessments through provider, Psicon, it was announced.

Psicon has held the contract to provide ADHD diagnostic assessments and treatment for six to 18 year olds since 2021.

Together with the ICB, which oversees health services across the Isle of Wight and in  Hampshire and Southampton, they said they had sympathy for families caught up in the crisis, but called it 'unavoidable.'

At the end of 2022, there were around 600 children and young people with ADHD, the Trust said, but it was unable to tell us how many ADHD diagnoses were actually completed between 2018 and 2023.

The Trust says waiting times are dependent on the needs of the individual children, but the average is between about 13 and 24 months.

In April, the ICB insisted it was working hard to develop a long term solution, while parents said private appointments are available faster, but cost between hundreds and thousands of pounds.

This week, one mum told the County Press of her frustration the issue had become 'yesterday's news.'

She said it meant 'a whole generation of children will be denied an appropriate and successful education.'

"In what reality is it ok to say, 'Our process to help the most needy isn't working so let's just stop it'?", she asked.

Already mum to a teenager with autism, her youngest child is on the waiting list for an ASD/ADHD assessment.

The Trust said figures provided above are approximate and do not cover private assessments.