NHS must tackle its ignorance over patients with autism, says watchdog

Clinicians and NHS organisations do not know how many of their patients have autism or the best way to treat them, a report by public spending watchdog the National Audit Office has found.

Eight hundred of the 1000 GPs in England who responded to a survey for the report said that they need additional guidance and training to be able to identify and treat patients with autism better.

An estimated 400 000 adults and 100 000 children in England have autism, many of whom may require specialist support. Autism costs the UK economy …