GSD welcomes new specialist Paediatric Support Workers

The GSD has welcomed the recent introduction of five new Senior Paediatric Support Workers at Children’s Health Centre, adding these much-needed specialists have been long awaited.

The party said it hopes these workers will make a significant difference, in particular, to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and their families.

“There has long been a shortfall in the provision by the GHA of services for children with an ADHD or ASD diagnosis, or those suspected of having either of these disorders, which often leads to understandable frustration for parents and carers, as they watch them suffer the consequences of long delays and a lack of therapeutic support,” Shadow Minister for Health, Joelle Ladislaus MP said.

“Early intervention and support are crucial to the development of children who suffer from these disorders and will go a long way to ensuring a better quality of life for them now, and in future.

“As a person with ADHD, and having been diagnosed privately as an adult, I can only hope that this initiative will result in less children falling through the cracks and struggling for most of their lives, only to be diagnosed in later life, having missed out on all the benefits that specialised support in their developmentally crucial years would have afforded them.”

“This is a step in the right direction, and we now look forward to welcoming similar initiatives for the provision and improvement of adult services relating to ADHD and ASD, where there is a significant need and a serious lack of provision of services and lack of support.”

“I have personally offered my assistance to the Hon. Minister for Health, in particular in the development of a pathway for the diagnosis of ADHD in adults, and I now reiterate that.”

Following this statement, the Minister for Health and Care, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said moving forward she will be working with Ms Ladislaus.

“I was very pleased to read the statement issued by the GSD this morning further to our announcement that we have employed five new Senior Paediatric Support Workers at the GHA as a fundamental step in our neurodevelopmental strategy,” Mrs Arias-Vasquez.

“I welcome Ms Ladislaus’ support in working with us on this pathway, particularly to support and indeed detect those with ASD/ADHD, and I welcome the tone of her statement.”

“Ms Ladislaus and I have been in touch directly on this and have agreed to work together on this and de-politicise this issue.”

“It is only right and proper that we work together to achieve the best possible neurodevelopmental strategy both for children and adults.”