Summary and Background
3.The Act places a duty on the Secretary of State to prepare and publish an autism strategy by 1 April 2010.
4.The Act provides that the autism strategy is to be a strategy for meeting the needs of adults in England with autistic spectrum conditions, by improving the provision by local authorities and National Health Service bodies of health and social services (these are “relevant services”, defined in section 4(1)) to such adults. The Secretary of State is required to keep the autism strategy under review and may revise it. The Secretary of State has a duty to consult and seek the participation of such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in both preparing the autism strategy and revising it.
5.In addition, the Act requires the Secretary of State to issue guidance, by 31 December 2010, to NHS bodies (as defined in section 4(1)), NHS foundation trusts and local authorities on implementation of the autism strategy. The Secretary of State must keep the guidance under review, and consult with the NHS and local authorities both before issuing the guidance and before revising it in any way that would result in a substantial change.
6.The Act also contains provisions that require NHS bodies and local authorities to act under the guidance.