Autism and ADHD waiting lists stopped in Berkshire
West Berkshire Council is addressing a £9.5m deficit in its SEND budget
Mental health referrals waiting lists for ADHD and austism have been halted by Berkshire’s regional health board because of an £8m overspend.
The news comes as the Government announced new measures for special educational needs assessments.
The Government says it will spend billions to make mainstream schools in England more inclusive for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
West Berkshire Council is addressing a £9.5m deficit in its SEND budget.
The integrated care board (ICB) for Buckinghanshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire (BOB) which facilitates services across West Berkshire said some providers have ‘completed their allocation’ for the financial year and are therefore holding patients on their waiting lists or deferring referrals until the new financial year.
But the problem, described as a ‘systemic failure’ by senior officials in children’s services in West Berkshire, points to problems in the health service provision of referalls for diagnosis of ADHD and autism.
The ICB said: “As demand has grown, so too has the financial impact on the NHS and taxpayers.
“While we budgeted £3m for Right to Choose assessments this year for our population across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West, provider estimates suggest costs could reach £11m.
The ICB is now required to have activity plans with Right to Choose providers which are based on affordability.
“This £8 million shortfall presents a significant challenge and would mean substantial reductions to other services to remain within our total budget,” it said.
“The ICB is working to ensure we have a list of quality assured providers, and we will be working with them to allocate new activity from April 2026.”
Health services play a critical role in SEND evidence by identifying needs, providing diagnostic assessments, contributing to education, health and care plans (EHCPs), and ensuring that support is evidence-based and legally compliant.
BOB ICB said some providers have ‘completed their allocation’ for the financial year and are therefore holding patients on their waiting lists or deferring referrals until the new financial year.
BOB ICB expects providers that have closed their bookings for the financial year to continue to provide services to children and young people whose assessment is already booked, those already part-way through their assessment, those who are diagnosed and awaiting treatment, and those already receiving ADHD medication who need ongoing management and reviews.
West Berkshire Council is addressing the £9.5m deficit in its SEND budget, previously reviewing plans to reclaim £2.85m from school budgets.
The council is implementing a 2024-2029 SEND and Inclusion Strategy to manage high-needs funding, amidst wider challenges of funding shortages and increased school costs.
The Government today (Monday) said it would spend £1.6bn over three years going directly to schools, early years settings and colleges, and £1.8bn over the same period to provide more access to experts such as specialist teachers and speech and language therapists.
The latest funding announcement comes days after other details of the Government’s proposals were leaked before the Schools White Paper, the Government’s formal policy document setting out all its plans for SEND, was due to be published.
The White Paper includes plans to reassess children’EHCPs – the legal documents setting out what support they are entitled to – after they leave primary school, and again after GCSEs.
That change could lead to fewer children retaining their EHCPs, which are an expensive part of the SEND system, into secondary school.
Children in Year 6 in 2029 would be the first to be reviewed under the plans, ahead of starting secondary school in 2030.
West Berkshire Council’s children’s services says it is assessing the impact of both the SEND announcement and the impact of the waiting list halt.