LONDON, July 16 -- Commenting on today’s speech by Conservative Party
Leader Rt Hon David Cameron MP at the Research Autism Conference in London, Lesa
Walton - Care Development Director of specialist Autism care provider Brookdale
Care - said today:

Brookdale Care is delighted that David Cameron chose to draw special attention
to the issues surrounding Autistic Spectrum Conditions today. We hope that Mr
Cameron’s speech represents a landmark day for Autism and its social
importance.

Brookdale Care has long been pressing for what Mr Cameron described as the need
to lift the fog of confusion that hangs over Autism and to ensure that people
who can play an active part in society are not unnecessarily locked out through
public misunderstanding of Autism and its associated conditions.

Brookdale Care is committed to acting as a catalyst for positive change and
creating a society in which people with Autism are supported, trusted and
respected.

We agree with Mr Cameron in that further research on Autism needs to be
undertaken so that we can better understand the condition, the needs of people
with the condition and their families and, most importantly, the services that
can assist people. There also needs to be greater understanding of the services
that are available and how they can be accessed with as little bureaucracy as
possible.

To do this, all organisations - Local Authorities, PCTs, voluntary
organisations, Central Government, independent sector care providers and GPs -
need to work collaboratively and share expertise without delay. Brookdale Care
has been working hard to do this and we welcome efforts to further integrate our
work with other agencies. Such joint working would particularly assist in
improving transition arrangements for people with Autism, as Mr Cameron rightly
noted.

As Mr Cameron stressed, it is of crucial importance that people with Autism and
their families are listened to because they are the people that really
understand their individual needs, a sentiment that Brookdale Care shares. We
realise how important it is to listen to service users and always want to offer
people choice and control over every aspect of their lives.

We hope that Mr Cameron will continue to listen to people with Autism, their
families and others seeking to provide support. We are pleased that he
reaffirmed support for the Autism Bill and hope that the Conservative Party will
continue to place Autism at the top of the policy agenda.

For more information call +44(0)207-819-6268, email
brookdale.pressoffice@googlemail.com or click http://www.brookdalecare.co.uk

SOURCE: Brookdale Care

For more information call +44(0)207-819-6268 or email
brookdale.pressoffice@googlemail.com