English: Could I call for a single statement on diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions? Only today, I received a letter from Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board regarding a constituent's daughter who had not received the diagnosis of autism through her child and adolescent mental health service, but did receive a diagnosis from an independent, experienced doctor - a clinician, who is actually so esteemed in the profession that she contributes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, is part of the NICE insight community and part of the World Health Organization's internet-based study group in relation to the diagnostic criteria, which is supposed to apply in this country. And worryingly - of course, that was a diagnosis that she was on the spectrum, but, worryingly, the letter from the health board said that the two assessments do not suggest significant differences, only a difference in label, and it's not an issue because Flintshire CAMHS do not work exclusively upon a diagnostic label and most of the interventions on offer do not require a specific diagnosis. However, as no doubt you're aware, yesterday, across Wales, there was widespread media coverage that failure to correctly diagnose autistic children could lead them to self-harm; of a mother saying that if her daughter had had an earlier Asperger's syndrome diagnosis it would have saved her much anguish; and of the Swansea University medical school academic who warned that parents fear children are suffering mental health problems because autism spectrum conditions are not being recognised. She said: 'What is consistent across the research is you are more at a risk, if you have autism, of suicidal thoughts or engaging with self harming behaviours. It's particularly prominent in females and particularly prominent in females who have remained undiagnosed until adulthood.' Given that the new Welsh Government autism service that's being rolled out through the WLGA is going to take some time to reach north Wales and remains non-statutory, and that Paul Davies's long-awaited and hoped for Bill is going to take some time to pass through the Assembly - hopefully with universal support - we need to know what guidance and what interaction the Welsh Government will have with our health boards and CAMHS services to ensure that this sort of situation doesn't keep occurring.
Welsh: A gaf i alw am ddatganiad unigol ar ddiagnosis o gyflyrau sbectrwm awtistiaeth? Dim ond heddiw, rwyf wedi cael llythyr oddi wrth Fwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr ynghylch merch i etholwr nad oedd wedi derbyn diagnosis o awtistiaeth drwy ei gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed, ond a gafodd ddiagnosis gan feddyg annibynnol, profiadol - clinigydd, sydd mewn gwirionedd mor uchel ei pharch yn y proffesiwn fel ei bod yn cyfrannu at ganllawiau'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal, mae'n rhan o gymuned mewnwelediad NICE ac yn rhan o grŵp astudio ar y rhyngrwyd Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd o ran y meini prawf diagnostig, sydd i fod yn berthnasol yn y wlad hon. Ac yn bryderus iawn - wrth gwrs, roedd hwnnw'n ddiagnosis ei bod ar y sbectrwm, ond, yn bryderus, roedd y llythyr gan y bwrdd iechyd yn dweud nad oedd y ddau asesiad yn awgrymu gwahaniaethau sylweddol, dim ond gwahaniaeth mewn label, ac nid yw'n broblem oherwydd nid yw CAMHS Sir y Fflint yn gweithio yn unig ar label diagnostig ac nid oes angen diagnosis penodol ar y rhan fwyaf o'r ymyriadau a gynigir. Fodd bynnag, fel yr ydych yn sicr yn ymwybodol ohono, ddoe, ar draws Cymru, rhoddwyd sylw eang yn y cyfryngau y gallai methu â gwneud diagnosis cywir o blant awtistig arwain at hunan-niweidio; roedd mam yn dweud pe byddai ei merch wedi cael diagnosis syndrom Asperger yn gynharach y byddai wedi arbed llawer o ofid iddi; ac roedd academig o ysgol feddygol Prifysgol Abertawe yn rhybuddio bod rhieni yn ofni bod plant yn dioddef problemau iechyd meddwl gan nad yw cyflyrau sbectrwm awtistiaeth yn cael eu hadnabod. Dywedodd: Yr hyn sy'n gyson ar draws yr ymchwil yw bod mwy o risg, os oes gennych awtistiaeth, o feddwl am hunanladdiad neu o ymddygiadau hunan-niweidio. Mae'n arbennig o amlwg mewn merched ac yn arbennig o amlwg mewn merched sydd wedi aros heb gael diagnosis nes eu bod yn oedolion. O ystyried bod gwasanaeth awtistiaeth newydd Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n cael ei gyflwyno drwy Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru yn mynd i gymryd peth amser i gyrraedd y gogledd ac yn parhau i fod yn anstatudol, a bod Bil hir-ddisgwyliedig Paul Davies yn mynd i gymryd peth amser i basio drwy'r Cynulliad - gobeithio, gyda chymorth cyffredinol - mae angen i ni wybod pa ganllawiau a pha ryngweithio fydd yn digwydd rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a'n byrddau iechyd a gwasanaethau CAMHS i sicrhau nad yw sefyllfa o'r math hwn yn dal i ddigwydd.