Written Statement: Transforming Neurodivergence Services

This statement provides an update about health board’s plans to reduce waiting times for children’s neurodevelopmental assessments in 2024-25 and sets my revised priorities for the Neurodivergence Improvement Programme in 2025-26.

The last 12 months has seen sustained activity and progress, including:

• Completion of the final phase of the evaluation of the Autism Code of Practice
• Initial consultation on the Neurodivergence Code of Practice
• An accelerated design event to support service transformation and
• Delivery of a £3m waiting time reduction plan for children’s neurodevelopmental assessments.

All health boards have made progress to reduce waiting times for children’s neurodevelopmental services and, as a result of service transformation and additional investment of £3m, we have eliminated four-year waits across Wales. An additional 2,166 assessments were carried out between January and March 2025. 

While I recognise the progress made, I remain acutely aware of the ongoing challenges faced by families with children who are waiting too long for an assessment. Reducing waiting times remains a key priority.

I am re-orientating the Neurodivergence Improvement Programme in 2025-26 to sustain and accelerate this progress. In my Written Statement about the programme in February, I announced £13.7m over two years to March 2027 to continue improvements. In 2025-26, £5.6m of this funding will focus on reducing children’s neurodevelopmental assessment waiting times. I am setting the target of eliminating all three-year waits across Wales by March 2026. But many health boards will be able to go much further and faster.

Some health boards have already made significant progress to transform assessment pathways and have lower waiting times as a result. I want to ensure these health boards are supported to continue this progress. We will continue to invest in those demonstrating effective transformation.

We will also continue to work closely with the NHS Executive to scrutinise delivery plans, improve data quality, and ensure national consistency and standards.

The Neurodivergence Improvement Programme will remain central to the development of sustainable, integrated services. We will strengthen regional arrangements through the Regional Partnership Boards. Our National Neurodivergence Team will continue its excellent work to raise awareness and acceptance across the system, and to drive improvements in the Integrated Autism Service.

I will continue to keep Members updated as we progress our work to improve services for neurodivergent people across Wales.