Average waiting times for people with autism to receive proper care are longer in Southeast Brabant than in the rest of the Netherlands. This is shown by research done by a health insurance organisation.
By the end of last year, Autistic people were having to wait for more than 39 weeks for treatment. That length of time was more than 32 weeks at the beginning of this year.
However, a local newspaper reports that the current waiting time at The Dutch Association of Mental Health and Addiction Care’s Eindhoven branch is 72 weeks. That is the equivalent of six months. This long waiting time is due to a budget shortfall among healthcare providers and the shortage of psychiatrists.
The long waiting time is also related to the increasing number of people with autism in the region. In 2011, it was found that Eindhoven has three times as many autistic children than other regions in the country.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Shufei
Editor: Melinda Walraven
