By Jennifer Hyland

Copyright dailyrecord

An autism charity boss has demanded faster NHS assessment s for children after the Sunday Mail revealed families waiting up to three years. Scottish Parliament figures show more than 42,000 kids left without a diagnosis for conditions including autism spectrum disorder and ADHD as of March. In some health boards, referrals are taking an average of 169 weeks, with some patients “aging out” and having to join the adult queue before being seen. Scottish Autism CEO Dorry McLaughlin insists families must get access to vital services. She said: “We remain extremely concerned by the long waits for neurodevelopmental assessment being experienced by children and young people. “Our recent survey report, conducted with three Autistic People’s Organisations, found many people waiting years for assessment, with little information or support while they waited. “We are also hearing from many families who end up paying thousands of pounds for a private assessment because of these waiting times and this can lead to real financial hardship “A diagnosis can be a critical means of establishing a person’s needs and unlocking the support to which they are entitled. “Scottish Autism is calling for guaranteed access to a timely assessment for young people across Scotland.” Autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental conditions. We told how Charmaine Lacock’s 11-year old daughter Sarah has waited three years for an autism assessment with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde ( NHSGGC ) only to be told funding for the specialists assessment s has been cut by the Scottish Government . The health board even suggested the family pay privately due to the backlog, with more than 800 children waiting. Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said: “While there has been a significant increase in demand, long waits for support are unacceptable. “I have been clear that while diagnosis can be important, it should not be a barrier to accessing the help and support that an individual needs. That’s why we’re investing an additional £500,000 this year to improve access to support for children, young people and families. “Together with Cosla, we have set up a new Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce to drive real improvements.” The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) is an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children. An SCSC spokesman said: “Health and education support often relies on a formal diagnosis, without which there can be severe negative consequences. “It is therefore vital children are quickly assessed and receive the care and medication they need when they need it and, more importantly, are adequately supported until they receive a diagnosis.”