The Autism Framework is part of the work under the Disability and Inclusion Strategy. The Framework itself was completed and work should have commenced under it through the Committee for Health and Social Care (HSC). Unfortunately this had not been the case due to staffing issues at HSC.
We are pleased that HSC has now appointed Dr Amma Oppong, a specialist in Community Paediatrics, as the new Bailiwick Consultant Community Paediatrician.
She will be assisted in the work under the Autism Framework initially by two other staff seconded to her team.
Dr Oppong has already had meetings with Autism Guernsey and the local branch of the National Autistic Society (Catherine Hall) to move the Framework forward.
We welcome Dr Oppong to Guernsey and look forward to her working with members to develop the autism assessment pathway, improving autism diagnosis in the Bailiwick and developing the community paediatric services with users and stakeholders which will include GDA members.
Dr Oppong comes to Guernsey having spent the last 5 years at a UK NHS Foundation Trust where she was the lead for the pre-school Social Communication (Autism) Assessment Team. Dr Oppong was also part of a multi-disciplinary team responsible for the clinical assessment and management of children with developmental and neurodevelopmental disorder.
Dr Oppong spent time in Botswana between 2010 and 2012 where she founded Space 2 Grow a specialist child and adolescent clinic. After setting up the first community paediatric clinic in Botswana she was responsible for assessing children with neurodevelopmental problems including Autism. Whilst in Botswana, Dr Oppong raised awareness of the needs of children with disabilities and provided training on Autism Spectrum Disorder(s).
(Photo of Dr Oppong from itv.com)