Sir, – The HSE’s autism assessment protocol has, this week, come under scrutiny. The HSE defends this protocol but the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland questions it, in particular Tier 1 assessments that they claim will not provide the necessary detailed personal profiles that allow tailored supports to be provided to autistic individuals (“Psychiatrists’ body ‘cannot endorse’ HSE autism plan”, News, June 2nd).
I am a child psychiatrist working in the public section. I have an autistic child.
Can I ask who, of the HSE officials endorsing it, would be happy for their child to be assessed as per this protocol?
Who would be assured of the validity of this assessment and who would be confident that the recommendations and tailored support for their child would be available following this?
RM Block
I’m out. – Yours, etc,
MARIA DUNNE,
Child and adolescent psychiatrist,
Ringsend,
Dublin 4.
