NEAC Structure

The NEAC holds meetings around the region which are Chaired by the lead commissioners or senior managers for autism in the North East local authorities. We are busy identifying the main priorities for young people and adults with autistic spectrum conditions so that work can be done to improve the way services are designed and provided against the Department of Health's national strategy Rewarding and Fulfilling Lives.

In the year ahead, our Project Manager will continue to coordinate our work around the region. The main tasks are:

• To support the lead commissioners and senior managers for autism to put their local autism action plans into practice
• To ensure each local area has made connections with family carer groups and people with autism themselves
• To share good practice and research findings from our project about Individual Service Designs for people with complex needs and the research project to identify the needs of young people with autism over the next three years.
• Set up a new Regional Business Meeting which is chaired by the Deputy Regional Director in the Department of Health and the regional lead director for autism.
• Agree a model for the delivery of diagnostic and assessment services for adults
• Use the Department of Health's framework to assess how well we are implementing our plans for autism
• Develop our regional forum for providers from the independent and voluntary sectors
• Work with specialist trainers and people with ASCs to design, deliver and share basic autism awareness package for front line staff in health and social care
• Produce a good practice template so that local authorities improve equality of the information which goes into their Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) (this document forms the basis of local authority commissioning plans for future services based on local need)
• To track the take up of Personal Budgets/Direct Payments for people with autistic spectrum conditions