Kent and Medway insights set to shape new national autism strategy

Personal stories and expert evidence from Kent and Medway are driving major changes to national autism policy. 

Recommendations from a landmark House of Lords review, published in November 2025, were directly shaped by frontline experience submitted by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.

Key impacts include:

• Influencing National Policy: Local clinicians and people with lived experience provided the evidence needed to challenge how the Autism Act works in the real world.
• Ending Unfair Hospital Stays: The report uses local insights to push for an end to the unnecessary detention of autistic people in mental health wards.
• Better Lifelong Support: Recommendations focus on cutting assessment wait times and ensuring support doesn't stop when a person reaches adulthood.

The review highlights ongoing challenges for autistic people in England. These include long waits for diagnosis, limited support after diagnosis, difficulties accessing healthcare and employment, and inconsistent access to reasonable adjustments. The committee’s recommendations call for stronger accountability, clearer support pathways and action to reduce inequalities.

The trust’s evidence was developed through its Transforming Neurodiversity Support Programme Board, which brought together clinical expertise, staff insights and people with lived experiences. This approach ensured the submission reflected both the realities of providing services and the impact on autistic people and their families.

George Matuska, Lead for Learning Disability and Autism at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, said:

“It is essential that national policy reflects what is happening on the ground and I am proud to see insights and evidence from our services reflected in these national recommendations.

“As a trust, we have a track record of speaking up and working with partners to shape national policy, and this shows how NHS organisations and local people can help shape policy that leads to better outcomes for autistic people.

“Our recommendations include setting clearer expectations around reasonable adjustments, improved post-diagnostic support, better data and accountability, and earlier identification of autism.”

The submission highlighted that while the Autism Act was an important step forward, it has limited enforceable duties and focuses mainly on adults. 

Clinicians from the trust highlighted that all too often, support comes too late, after people have already experienced harm or exclusion and called for earlier identification, better reasonable adjustments and stronger post-diagnostic support, particularly where mental health needs exist alongside being an autistic person.

This work also aligns with the trust’s expanding role in children and young people’s mental health services. From Spring 2026, for the first time in Kent and Medway history, NHS mental health care will be delivered by a single, local provider for people of all ages. This will make it easier for people to access and navigate care throughout their mental health journey.

The new service will focus on improving access to care, providing earlier intervention, and offering more joined-up support. It will work closely with families, schools and partner organisations to make sure children and young people, including those who are autistic, receive care that is adapted to their individual needs.

Trust representatives were also invited to give verbal evidence in private sessions with the House of Lords committee, alongside people with lived experience. These discussions helped the committee understand the pressures on services and the consequences when reasonable adjustments and personalised support are not consistently available.

George added:

“While not every point we raised appears as a direct quote, it is clear that our evidence influenced the wider narrative of the report. Everyone involved should be proud of the role they played.”

The Government has committed to using these findings to launch a new, fully funded national autism strategy by July 2026.