Autism Act 2009 (c. 15)

(1) The Secretary of State must prepare and publish a document setting out a strategy for meeting the needs of adults in England with autistic spectrum conditions by improving the provision of relevant services to such adults by local authorities, NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts. (2) That document is referred to in this Act as “ the autism strategy ”. (3) The autism strategy must be published no later than 1 April 2010. (4) The Secretary of State— (a) must keep the autism strategy under review, and (b) may revise it. (5) If the Secretary of State revises the autism strategy the Secretary of State must publish it as revised. (6) The Secretary of State must consult and seek the participation of such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate— (a) in preparing the autism strategy, or (b) in revising it in a way which would, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, result in a substantial change to the strategy. (7) A document prepared and published by the Secretary of State before this section comes into force is as effective for the purposes of this section as a document prepared and published after that time. (8) Consultation and steps to seek participation undertaken by the Secretary of State before this section comes into force are as effective for the purposes of this section as consultation and steps to seek participation undertaken after that time.

(1) For the purpose of securing the implementation of the autism strategy, the Secretary of State must issue guidance— (a) to local authorities about the exercise of their social services functions within the meaning of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42) (see section 1A of that Act), and (b) to NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts about the exercise of their functions concerned with the provision of relevant services. (2) Guidance must be issued under this section no later than 31 December 2010. (3) The Secretary of State— (a) must keep the guidance under review, and (b) may revise it. (4) In keeping the guidance under review the Secretary of State must in particular consider the extent to which the guidance has been effective in securing the implementation of the autism strategy. (5) Guidance issued under this section must in particular include guidance about— (a) the provision of relevant services for the purpose of diagnosing autistic spectrum conditions in adults; (b) the identification of adults with such conditions; (c) the assessment of the needs of adults with such conditions for relevant services; (d) planning in relation to the provision of relevant services to persons with autistic spectrum conditions as they move from being children to adults; (e) other planning in relation to the provision of relevant services to adults with autistic spectrum conditions; (f) the training of staff who provide relevant services to adults with such conditions; (g) local arrangements for leadership in relation to the provision of relevant services to adults with such conditions. (6) The Secretary of State must consult and seek the participation of local authorities, NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts before— (a) issuing guidance under this section, or (b) revising it in a way which would, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, result in a substantial change to the guidance. (7) Consultation and steps to seek participation undertaken by the Secretary of State before this section comes into force are as effective for the purposes of this section as consultation and steps to seek participation undertaken after that time.