Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 303-2026
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. The average (mean) and median waiting time, in weeks, from initial referral to a first autism diagnostic assessment appointment, for the most recent 12 months for which data is available. Please provide this separately for:
a. Children and young people (under 18)
b. Adults (18+)
Our response:
For adults referred to our Trust autism service, who received a diagnostic assessment appointment between 01 October 2025 and 31 September 2026, the mean and median time in weeks from referral date to diagnostic assessment appointment were:
| Mean | 148.3 weeks |
| Median | 151.1 weeks |
For CYPS referred to our Trust autism service, who received a diagnostic assessment appointment between 01 October 2025 and 31 September 2026, the mean and median time in weeks from referral date to diagnostic assessment appointment were:
| Mean | 102.4 weeks |
| Median | 138 weeks |
You asked:
2. The average (mean) and median waiting time, in weeks, from first assessment appointment to a diagnostic outcome being given, for the same period and age groups.
Our response:
For adults, a confirmed diagnosis is recorded on the same day as the diagnostic assessment appointment. The outcome of the assessment when a diagnosis is not given is not recorded in a place that can be easily extracted from the clinical system.
For children and young people, there are data quality issues within the clinical system relating to diagnostic outcomes. This does not establish whether the requested mean and median waiting times are held, and we need to confirm this before providing a substantive answer to this part of your request. Over the next 12 months, the service will implement a robust review and monitoring process to standardise tracking and ensure data accuracy.
You asked:
3. The current number of open referrals awaiting a first autism assessment appointment, as of the most recent date for which this data is held, broken down by age group as above.
Our response:
The number of adults currently waiting for an autism assessment appointment as at 18 October 2026 was:
| 774 |
The number of CYPS currently waiting for an autism assessment appointment as at 18th October 2026 was:
| 2496 |
You asked:
4. Whether these figures are published anywhere on an ongoing basis (e.g. a public dashboard or board report), and if so, a link to that source.
Our response:
The Trust holds internal performance reports and routinely submits data to the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS). However, we do not publish or maintain a public dashboard.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.