Warning over cuts to autism and ADHD tests in Aberdeenshire
Adult autism and ADHD assessments in Aberdeenshire face being halted despite a council report suggesting the move would come with a "significant risk".Council officers will recommend the £200,000 cut at a meeting on Wednesday due to a lack of Scottish government funding.Members of the Integration Joint Board (IJB) - the body which runs health and social care services in the region - are looking to make £17m in savings in the 2025/26 budget.Social Care Minister Maree Todd said it was "disappointing" that local areas were considering cuts to services.
Almost 2,000 people are waiting for ADHD and autism assessments in Aberdeenshire.Temporary Scottish government funding has allowed the service to run for the past four years. Officers anticipated this funding would continue but say this has not happened.The report to go before the IJB found cutting the provision will bring "significant risk" as it leave people with "limited other options."It also anticipates that the move will lead to complaints.A future revisiting of the service provision was not ruled out in the report, if funding could be secured.
'We are dismayed'
Marion McLaughlin, from Aberdeen, runs a consultancy which trains companies in improving practices and understanding of autism in the workplace.She has set up a petition against the changes and was the only person with autism on the council's workgroup which first brought the assessments to Aberdeenshire.
She said: "The cuts would be shockingly ill-informed."We are dismayed that the integrated impact assessment does not fully reflect the full destructive impact this will have on our community."I think the council do not understand the negative effects this will have on the lives of people with autism."The charity Scottish Autism has called on the local health and social care partnership to reject the proposals.The charity's Joe Long said support for neurodivergent adults is "highly inconsistent across Scotland.""It may mean that people are forced to seek private assessment if they are able to afford it, or may be directed to mental health services by health professionals instead," he said."None of this will be beneficial to people seeking a diagnosis, or to the wider health and social care system."
Last month the Scottish government said there had been a "significant increase in referrals" for autism diagnosis, which was putting pressure on an already-stretched NHS.GPs say they are not unwilling to refer patients who would benefit from support - but that the criteria for referrals was very strict.Dr Chris Williams, vice chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland, previously said it would be helpful if the public was better informed about this criteria - and how there is no treatment or 'cure' for autism, which is not an illness.Asked about the situation in Aberdeenshire, Maree Todd said it was disappointing that local areas were considering "completely withdrawing" neurodevelopmental services.She said: "The Scottish government provided £400,000 to establish the service in Aberdeenshire between 2019-21. If approved by the Scottish Parliament, the 2025-26 Budget will provide a record £21.7bn for health and social care next year."This includes £16.2bn for health boards - a 3% cash uplift and real terms increase on their baseline funding. It will also deliver record funding of over £15bn for local authorities, a further 4.7% real terms increase."Speaking about autism support more broadly, she said: "Formal diagnosis is not required to access the support provided, and we know that 78% of autistic adults supported have reported improved wellbeing as a result."Other cuts to be discussed at the meeting include a 70% reduction to the in-house Care at Home Service, which could lead to staff being made redundant.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
11 hours ago
- Daily Record
Kilmarnock Tartan Tea Party raises vital funds for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
The Park Hotel and local peer support group, the Killie Heartmates, joined forces to host the event A popular Kilmarnock hotel and local cardiac exercise group throw a Tartan Tea Party to support Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS). CHSS's inaugural Tartan Tea Parties took place across the country on Wednesday, May 21 for International Tea Day, raising much-needed funds for people affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions, as well as long covid. The charity has encouraged as many people as possible in the region to take part in the Tartan Tea Party, from groups of friends and family, playgroups, nurseries and schools to sports clubs, community groups and businesses. The Park Hotel and local peer support group, the Killie Heartmates, joined forces to host their Tartan Tea Party to support Scotland's leading health charity, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, raising £1,283. Sheena Thomson, from Killie Heartmates, said: "Given Killie Heartmates is a peer group of CHSS, we value their advice and support and we try to do everything we can to return the support. "When the Tartan Tea Party was announced we felt we wanted to take part and try and give something back for all of the support we've had over the years. "We spoke with the Park Hotel and asked if we could do something together to raise important funds and the morale of those who depend on CHSS because they do a fantastic job. 'The day went really well. We had about 90 people there which was brilliant and everybody got into the spirit of things and enjoyed themselves. The Park Hotel were also first class with us and we want to thank them too." Gordon Anthony, the general manager of the Park Hotel, said: "We've been working with the Killie Heartmates for a few years now. "The group are regular users of the hotel and we're their t-shirt sponsor. "Sheena and John are an amazing couple. The Killie Heartmates is a fantastic group so we try to help them as much as we can." The event was supported by Scottish baker, author, GP and Great British Bake Off finalist, Dr James Morton. He said: "The Tartan Tea Party is such a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to support each other and to be there for those who have been through such hardship. "I believe we'll all know someone who has suffered from one of the many conditions that CHSS can help with, and this is our opportunity to talk about it, spread the word about the great work CHSS is doing and why you should support them." CHSS supports people across the country living with its conditions to live their lives to the full. The charity is on hand to provide advice and support through its free Advice Line service, stroke nurses, online health information, support groups, supported self management courses and much more. CHSS aims to reach 175,000 people living with its conditions by 2028 through its Community Healthcare Support Services. Funds raised through activities such as the Tartan Tea Party are essential in supporting this goal. Louise Macleod, Community Fundraiser at CHSS said: "We're delighted to see so many people, like Killie Heartmates and the Park Hotel, taking part in our inaugural Tartan Tea Party and hope everyone had an amazing day. "At CHSS, we say 'never underestimate the power of a cup of tea'. Living with or supporting someone with one of our conditions can be challenging and events such as the Tartan Tea Party are crucial to create time for people to get together, share support and advice as well as have fun."
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Scotsman
Terminally ill man behind Church of Scotland assembly on the 'really difficult' assisted dying conundrum
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It was a speech he never expected to make, but one that he hoped will offer insight and comfort for others living with or supporting friends and family with terminal illnesses. Now, a man who delivered a powerful address to the Church of Scotland's General Assembly about his own experience with life-limiting disease has called for a major upsurge in investment in palliative care and questioned the assisted dying legislation passing through Holyrood. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Williams, 71, has been undergoing dialysis treatment for the past seven years - a situation complicated by the fact he has also been diagnosed with cancer of the small bowel that has spread to his lung and spine. Such health problems have given Mr Williams cause to think deeply about assisted dying, an issue that has occupied the minds of those in the church, MSPs and wider civic Scotland in recent months. John Williams addresses the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. | Andrew O'Brien It has also made Mr Williams even more aware of the crucial and compassionate services provided by palliative care specialists, having been referred to St Columba's Hospice after being referred by Dr Tony Duffy, his palliative care consultant. Call for hospices to receive better funding package He said he wished he had been made aware of palliative care sooner, and described the resources afforded to hospices as a 'disgrace' that had to be urgently addressed. 'There just isn't the capacity there, and the number of people who die in hospices is just a tiny figure,' he said. 'The hospices are just not supported or properly funded and they need volunteers just to run things.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As things stand, Mr Williams, who has no idea how long he has left to live, said he could not support the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill that passed an initial vote at Holyrood last month. But he said there was an opportunity to work towards 'better' legislation provided key issues were addressed. 'How are you going to square doing this with the medical profession - how is that going to work in practice?' he said. 'I think that's the really difficult one. It's not going to be easy, whatever happens, and I honestly don't know what will come next, but there has to be detailed thought given. I'm concerned the Bill is being rushed through.' Liam McArthur's assisted dying bill is currently progressing through Holyrood. | PA The Bill, brought forward by Scottish Lib Dem, Liam McArthur, will go back to the Scottish Parliament's health committee for stage two, with a deadline for amendments in the autumn. Mr McArthur intends to bring in an amendment raising the minimum age at which people should be eligible to 18. It is expected there will be moves to impose a time limit on what is defined as a terminal diagnosis. 'Why me and not other people?' Mr Williams will be among those following the Bill's progress. There have been times where the pain has been so great that he has considered stopping dialysis, and he knows that if his cancer becomes too heavy a burden to bear, that option will remain open to him. It is an option very few people have, and Mr Williams said he found it difficult to reconcile the fact that others living with terminal illness did not have such a choice available. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'You think 'why me and not other people?' he told The Scotsman. 'I can understand people who want to go down that road. I just hope that anyone who does it does so for the right reasons, and that everything else has failed. You've got to be really, really careful as to how it's worked out and what discussions take place beforehand.' Such conversations are something Mr Williams draws strength from and, for the time being, he is hopeful that he will be able to manage his cancer and continue dialysis. 'Obviously, some people will say that God will decide when it's your time, but I think it depends on how you look at it,' he reflected. 'It's like the parable of the drowning man who refuses a lifeboat and a helicopter, and when he meets God, it's explained that it was God who sent the rescuers. 'At present, the medication I'm on is not working great, which is down to the spinal cord cancer, and I can't get radiotherapy for that. It's a case of changing the medication quite drastically. If I can keep doing that with dialysis and the cancer keeps in check, I'll keep going. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But if nothing was working, and I found that I couldn't get anything under control, would I consider stopping dialysis? Yes, I would have to consider it, because even with palliative care, I'm going to be in trouble. But now is not the time to have that conversation.' 'Sharing your story is so valuable' Since 1974, Mr Williams has played a crucial role in the assembly, working as an audio-visual technician to ensure a phalanx of cameras, microphones and screens are fully operational so as to allow those in Edinburgh and further afield to follow the proceedings. But after more than half a century behind the scenes, Mr Williams was at the forefront of this year's gathering. Although he is not a commissioner, he was invited to address the assembly by Rev Dr John Ferguson, convener of the church's working group on assisted dying. After delivering a 14-minute speech, during which he spoke candidly about his own treatment and the plight of others, he received a rousing ovation, with Moderator Rt Rev Rosie Frew thanking him for sharing his story 'so openly and so honestly', and for helping people to understand what he was going through. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
My ADHD diagnosis at 34 was ‘clear as hell' – here's how I've silenced the caffeinated squirrels rioting in my brain
UNILAD and LADBible founder Alex says it took his mum finding 23 empty bottles of wine under his bed and a brutal legal battle that pushed him to the brink to discover the truth NUT A PROBLEM My ADHD diagnosis at 34 was 'clear as hell' – here's how I've silenced the caffeinated squirrels rioting in my brain Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TO the outside world, he was the mega successful founder of two multi-million pound companies. But secretly, Alex Partridge was battling crippling anxiety, using alcohol to "press his brain's brake pedal", and pouring up to £14,000 down the drain every year. It wasn't until a shock diagnosis aged 34 that his life started to make sense and he turned things around. 6 Alex Partridge - the founder of UNILAD and LADbible - discovered he had ADHD in his mid-30s Credit: Alex Partridge 6 He was misdiagnosed with anxiety as a child Credit: Alex Partridge Here, he shares his story. I'VE always known, deep down, that I was different. This began during my school days, when I'd copy my classmates' mannerisms and tone of voice just to fit in. I altered who I was to appear likeable to others, because I didn't understand who I was. This carried on into secondary school where, as a fellow student so sensitively put it, I 'could have been one of the cool kids if I wasn't so weird'. I have vivid memories from this period of when teachers would ask me questions that I didn't know the answer to, and the stress would lead to full-blown anxiety attacks. My palms would get all sweaty, my face would go bright red and my heart rate would shoot right up. In a panic, I would rush out of the classroom. I remember one day I found someone in the corridor and told them to call an ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack. At the time, aged 15, I was misdiagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday situations). I now know this not to be the case, but I was put on beta blockers (to slow my heart by blocking hormones like adrenaline) and antidepressants. Do you or your child have ADHD- Here's the NHS test as Brits waiting two years for diagnosis They didn't help - in fact, they actually made me feel worse - so I stopped taking them after six weeks. Following a tumultuous young adulthood, which included founding the websites LADBible and UNILAD in quick succession – and a protracted legal battle over their ownership that turned my life upside down – I was finally diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) two years ago, aged 34. Like so many others across society, I had thought ADHD was just something hyperactive little boys had, so I never even considered that I might have it. But when I hired a director to help me set up a podcast, before losing interest in the project three days later, he asked me: 'When did you get your ADHD diagnosis?' This casual question changed my life forever. So much of my life up until that point – the anxiety attacks, the constant picking up and dropping of new hobbies, identities and business ideas – began to make sense. I had an assessment, and a psychiatrist told me that my ADHD was 'clear as hell' – and it's a day that I'll never forget. When I began to learn more about the condition and the different ways it can present, it was the first of many 'lightbulb moments'. The 'ADHD tax' cost me up to £14,000 a year at my worst Alex Partridge I'm not physically hyperactive like the naughty schoolboys I had previously imagined; my brain is a different story entirely. Describing how it feels to anybody who hasn't spent time inside it is tricky, but my ADHD means that all my energy can be concentrated in my head. The closest approximation I can give is that it's like 10 highly caffeinated squirrels running about at once! Hyperactivity associated with ADHD can be internalised and, after realising this, so many of my previous life experiences suddenly made sense. For me, ADHD means that: I possess the creativity and hyperfocus to create two global social media brands, but if a task doesn't interest me, it simply will not get done. I've always been entrepreneurial, but I had poor financial skills and often lost interest in projects once the novelty waned. I own an impressive list of domains, and enjoy buying things, but this often results in overspending and financial difficulties. I love meeting new people, but I've always struggled to maintain friendships. One way it presents is impulse purchasing, which I've always struggled with. It would cost me hundreds – sometimes thousands – of pounds a year. I estimate about £14,000 annually at my worst. I now know this to be a little-known (and costly) consequence of ADHD known as the 'ADHD tax', referring to the higher living expenses that so many of us with ADHD (and other neurodivergences) can incur due to challenges with impulse control and executive functioning. The ADHD tax might show up in the expensive hobbies we've signed up for (and then lost interest in), the impulse purchases we buy and forget about, or the dreaded monthly subscriptions that we sign up for, never use but never cancel – a classic example of how knowing how my brain worked would have been extremely helpful earlier in my life. 6 Alex would buy food he'd then forget to eat Credit: Alex Partridge 6 Alex developed an alcohol addiction Credit: Tanya Grace I used to buy so much food that I would then forget to eat. I impulsively signed up for an online sewing course on a Monday, then had lost all interest in it the following day. My electricity bills increased as I was having to wash my clothes multiple times because I'd forgotten to empty the washing machine. When I thought I'd found my new calling in life as a master candle maker, I bought a 2kg box of paraffin wax from Hobbycraft, only for it to sit there unused for months. I bought a trumpet thinking I'd learn to play, but again, it stayed firmly in its box. I even bought new socks when all of mine were dirty, and decided to buy a new rug when my dog went to the toilet on the original as the thought of cleaning it was too overwhelming. Hundreds of pounds splashed on unused gym memberships, vitamins, app subscriptions… the list goes on. The 9 'hidden' signs of ADHD in adults ADHD has long been associated with naughty schoolkids who cannot sit still in class. And that is part of it. Fidgeting, daydreaming and getting easily distracted are all symptoms of the behavioural condition, which is why it is often spotted in children. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is far more complex than simply having trouble focusing. Henry Shelford, CEO and co-founder of ADHD UK, says: 'If it isn't debilitating, it isn't ADHD.' In recent years, social media has given rise to trends which conflate specific personality traits or single behaviours with ADHD. You might be thinking, 'I'm always losing my keys, forgetting birthdays and I can never concentrate at work — I must have ADHD'. But it's not as simple as that. Though these may all point to the condition, Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says: 'The key distinction lies in how much a behaviour impacts a person's daily life. 'Genuine ADHD symptoms affect multiple areas of life - work, relationships and emotional wellbeing - whereas personality traits are typically context-dependent and less disruptive.' ADHD UK's Henry, who has the condition himself, adds: 'Having ADHD is hard. One in ten men with ADHD and one in four women with ADHD will at some point try to take their own lives.' So how can ADHD manifest in someone's life? While hyperactivity is a common indicator, here are nine other subtle signs: Time blindness - losing track of time, underestimating how long tasks will take, regularly being late or excessively early Lack of organisation - a messy home, frequently misplacing items, forgetting deadlines Hyperfocus - becoming deeply engrossed in activities for hours Procrastination - feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists and struggling to determine what needs your attention first so focusing on less important tasks Heightened emotions - emotional struggles can manifest in angry outbursts, feeling flooded with joy or shutting down because you feel too much at once Being a 'yes man' - agreeing to new projects at work or dinner dates with friends when you're already busy (a desire to please) Impatience - interrupting people mid-conversation, finding it painful to stand in a queue, being overly-chatty Restlessness - tapping, pacing, fidgeting or feeling restless on the inside Easily distracted - by external things, like noises, or internal things like thoughts Among the most challenging periods of my life, however, came in 2017, before my diagnosis, during a long-running legal battle that pushed me to the brink. 'Two members of the public found you staggering in an alleyway. It was 2am. You were alone and clutching a bottle of vodka. As they approached you, you slipped and hit your head on the wall. They called an ambulance.' These were the first words spoken to me by the nurse next to my hospital bed when I woke up. Upon hearing them, I was hit by an overwhelming wave of shame and anxiety, and the immediate need to self-medicate. Unfortunately, it was alcohol - my medication of choice at the time - that had landed me here in the first place. So how did this all come about? I was 18 when I discovered booze, and quickly figured out it turned down the volume in my head. As I've often been a pleasure-seeker with low impulse control, it wasn't a shock when I discovered the strong link between ADHD and addiction. And alcohol became an addiction that would temporarily run my life. 'It was like I'd pressed my brain's brake pedal' It was being effectively ousted from UNILAD, the business I founded alongside two others, that really kick-started my alcoholism in 2013. I still remember staring at my computer screen, suddenly unable to access the site because they had changed the password, paralysed with overwhelm and crippled by anxiety. I stood up, went and bought a bottle of wine, drove home and drank the whole thing in five minutes. Suddenly, it was like I had pressed my brain's brake pedal. My thoughts instantly slowed down, and the caffeinated squirrels stopped running around. My anxiety had, temporarily, disappeared. 6 Alex describes his ADHD as like having '10 highly-caffeinated squirrels running about' in his brain Credit: Andrew Mason 6 He is the host of the podcast ADHD Chatter and author of the book Now It All Makes Sense Credit: Luke Hamlin For various reasons, such as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) – an extreme emotional reaction I feel to real or perceived rejection - that accompanies my ADHD, I've always been terrified of confrontation. So much so, that my coping mechanism for effectively having my life's work snatched from me was not to confront those responsible, but rather to bury my head in the sand and drink myself to sleep every night. After my mum found 23 empty bottles of wine concealed under my bed, we finally arranged to speak to a lawyer, who told me: 'You will win this case over ownership of the company if you choose to fight it in court. You will, however, have to give evidence in the witness box.' My mind immediately flashed to the opposing lawyer saying: 'Alex, do you know the answer to this question?' And I panicked, remembering the little version of me sitting in the classroom all those years ago. I abruptly stood up and left the lawyer's office, bought a bottle of vodka, and woke up in hospital 12 hours later with a nurse looking over me, saying the sobering words you see above. Much of the next year was characterised by the court battle, which was an unbelievably stressful time. During the trial, I was cross-examined in the witness box for five days, during which I had to excuse myself several times to 'use the loo' – when in reality, I was doing breathing exercises to divert a panic attack. A further three months passed before my lawyer phoned me. He said: 'Alex, are you on your own?' 'Yes,' I said. There was a pause. 'You've won everything.' I broke down crying – one of the biggest legal, and mental health, or battles of my life, and I'd come through it. I won my 33 per cent stake in the company back. How to get help UNFORTUNATELY, a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD but they can refer you for a specialist assessment. Be warned, the wait can be long. Data suggests there are at least 196,000 adults on waiting lists across the UK. And a BBC investigation found in many areas it would take at least eight years to clear the backlog. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the NHS says their symptoms should have a moderate effect on different areas of their life, such as underachieving at work or having difficulties in relationships, and the person has been displaying symptoms continuously for at least six months. There must also be evidence symptoms have been present since childhood - it's thought that the condition cannot develop for the first time in adults. After a diagnosis, treatment can include psychological therapies, psychotherapy, social skills training and medication. For many, a diagnosis can be a relief, but also unravel mixed emotions and feelings of 'being different'. ADHD UK has information on considering diagnostic pathways and can offer support. UNILAD went into administration in 2018, then was bought by the same company that had earlier bought LADBible for an undisclosed amount. Reports suggest the brand was valued at up to £40million. My celebrations included a trip to Las Vegas, a new tattoo (that I had no memory of getting in the first place) becoming infected, and another hospital visit. But in 2018, I managed to kick the alcohol habit for good. I attended my first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting where I said the most important sentence I'd ever uttered. 'My name is Alex and I'm an alcoholic.' I've been sober ever since, which is among the best decisions I've ever made. I'm now 36, living in Brighton, and I can confidently say that quitting booze has enabled me to take back control of my ADHD, suffocate the negatives - and allow the positives to thrive. Alex Partridge is the founder of LADbible and UNILAD and the host of the ADHD Chatter podcast. His book Now It All Makes Sense: How An ADHD Diagnosis Brought Clarity To My Life (Sheldon Press, £16.99) is out now.
