Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board recognise the long waits that young people continue to experience in Lancashire and South Cumbria and remain committed to providing the most suitable sustainable model for our children and young people and their families.
The ICB has now commissioned additional capacity to increase appointments for assessments, and we are working with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to implement alternative arrangements.
This change will improve how referrals are reviewed and prioritised, ensure families receive timely advice and support and create a more consistent and sustainable service across the region.
For school aged children and young people with autism (ASD) changes will take place for:
For children and young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care will be transferred to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for those who have not yet had their referral triaged or require their triage information to be updated including those in the following areas:
Families do not need to take any action. Those affected by these transfers for both pathways will receive a letter from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust advising of next steps.
For frequently asked questions and further information, including local support offers, please see the neurodevelopmental webpage - LSC Integrated Care Board :: CYP neurodevelopmental pathway
Bay Medical Group, Heysham Primary Care Centre
Bay Medical Group, Morecambe Health Centre
Bay Medical Group, West End Medical Practice
Bay Medical Group, Westgate Surgery
Bay Medical Group, York Bridge Surgery
Lancaster Medical Practice
Queen Square Medical Practice
Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) have previously communicated the difficulties in meeting the level of demand for autism and ADHD assessments and the number of children and young people currently on the waiting lists.
Blackpool Teaching Hospital (BTH) began accepting referrals for the Central and West areas of Lancashire from 1 August 2025 and we are pleased to announce that they have also now been commissioned to receive and triage referrals for the North of Lancashire, effective from 1 June 2026. This pathway is for all children and young people aged 5 to their 16th birthday and registered with a GP in North Lancashire. For a full list of GP practices, please see LSC Integrated Care Board: CYP neurodevelopmental pathway.
Any new referrals for autism assessment must be completed on the BTH referral form and submitted via bfwh.centrallancs.ndp@nhs.net. The ICB is working to integrate this referral form on to EMIS to streamline this process for Primary Care.
Download the BTH referral form
Referrals will be triaged with an outcome of triage letter provided to the referrer along with advice and guidance for the family. The agreed timeframes for this service are set for all referrals to receive a triage outcome within six weeks of the receipt of the referral. If a referral is accepted, the child or young person will be placed on a waiting list for assessment. Any child or young person that has already been referred to LSCFT for autism assessment, who has not yet had their referral triaged or where triage information and presentation may have changed, will also be transferred to BTH. LSCFT will contact children, young people and families affected by this transfer directly.
The Blackpool Neuro Developmental (ND) Team have also been commissioned to complete a number of full autism assessments for children and young people accepted onto the waiting list from Central, West and North Lancashire. In the meantime, the ICB is working with partners to establish a new full assessment pathway, and details will be released as soon as they are available. We would also like to assure families in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre that this will not have any effect on their pathway journey or service they receive from BTH.
Some children and young people experiencing long waits will be transferred for an updated triage/assessment to ensure timely review and confirm whether an autism assessment remains clinically indicated.”
We would encourage referrers to direct families to support via the Lancashire Local Offer and the ICB ND webpage:
We have developed a webpage specifically for information and updates regarding the Neurodevelopmental Pathway; this can be found at LSC Integrated Care Board :: CYP neurodevelopmental pathway.
For any queries or concerns related specifically to the new referral and triage process or experiences by families, please contact the Blackpool ND team on 01253 952852 or 952503. For any other queries or concerns please contact lscicb.communications@nhs.net
Referrals for ADHD assessment are continuing to be accepted as normal from Health, education and social care professionals. The ICB is working collaboratively with LSCFT around a similar solution for ADHD and further communication will be shared as soon as the process, including timescales, has been finalised.
Why is the ADHD pathway changing?
Demand for ADHD assessments has increased significantly, resulting in long waiting times.
To help address this:
Who does this affect?
This change affects children and young people who have already been referred to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) for ADHD assessment, but:
This will include children and young people from the following areas:
These children and young people will have their referral transferred to BTH.
Parents and carers of affected children will have already been contacted by LSCFT via letter to inform them of this change.
This change does not affect families in Blackpool.
Will my child lose their place on the waiting list?
No. Your child’s referral will be managed based on the date that LSCFT received the initial referral.
Do I need to do anything?
What happens if my child has already started their assessment?
If your child is already being seen and their assessment has started, this will continue with LSCFT.
How will I be contacted?
When your child’s case is to be reviewed you will be contacted directly by BTH, typically by letter.
This will include:
When will I be contacted?
Due to the number of referrals being transferred, BTH will be working hard to contact families within six months from 1 July 2026.
Will I have to travel to Blackpool for an appointment?
No, BTH are working with healthcare providers, including LSCFT, so that appointments can take place at venues close to where you live whenever possible. If your child needs an appointment for an assessment BTH will be in touch with further details.
Who can I contact if I have any questions?
Children and Young Persons Learning Disability and Neuro team :: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Where can I access support?
The LSC Integrated Care Board (ICB) are currently in the process of commissioning additional support services for children and young people. We will share more details on this with you as things progress.
What happens next?
The ICB recognises that this is a temporary solution to a wider systemic challenge in our existing pathways for how we assess and diagnose children and young people and support them and their families. There remains full commitment from the ICB in a full transformation programme, and we are continuing to work with partners to ensure that a permanent and long term pathway is in place during 2027/28.
Why has the autism pathway changed?
The waiting list for autism assessments in Lancashire and South Cumbria has grown and Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation NHS Trust (LSCFT) have been working hard to manage the lists for this service with limited resources.
Blackpool Teaching Hospital (BTH) has now been commissioned to provide a service for new referrals for children and young people aged 5 to either 16 years of age or December 31st of Year 11 (or equilvalent if home schooled)and registered with a GP in the Lancaster and Morecambe area. This service for new referrals will be effective from 1 June 2026.
BTH will also accept the transfer of children and young people from the LSCFT waiting list – those children will be reviewed in the order in which they were referred.
This change does not affect families in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.
New Autism referral process for children & young people in the Lancaster & Morecambe area:
Who does the new autism referral process affect?
This change in the autism referral process affects:
What is the new autism referral process for the Lancaster and Morecambe area?
Referrals will be accepted from a professional who knows the child or young person well and who is able to supply all the information needed to enable effective triage.
This will include:
If a referral is accepted, the child or young person will be placed on a waiting list for a diagnostic assessment.
Referral details can be found at:
LSC Integrated Care Board :: Updates to the Lancashire autism pathway
Children & young people transferred from LSCFT to BTH:
Who will transfer?
If your formal assessment has already commenced, this will continue with LSCFT.
You will have received a letter if your child’s referral is transferring from LSCFT to BTH.
Will my child lose their place on the waiting list?
No. Your child will keep their original place based on when the referral was first received by LSCFT.
Do I need to do anything?
How will I be contacted?
When your child’s case is to be reviewed you will be contacted directly by BTH, typically by letter.
This will include:
What happens if my child is already on the BTH waiting list for autism assessment?
If you live in Central or West Lancashire and have already been accepted onto the waiting list for autism assessment BTH will be in touch to discuss next steps. Families in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre will be unaffected, and their pathway will continue as normal.
Will we have to travel to Blackpool for an appointment?
No. If your child needs an appointment this will take place at a venue close to where you live whenever possible. If your child needs an appointment for an assessment BTH will be in touch with further details.
Who can I contact with any queries?
Where can I access support?
The support offer for Lancashire can be accessed via the local offer website and the ICB website:
The ICB are currently in the process of commissioning additional support services for children and young people. We will share more details on this with you as things progress.
What happens next?
The ICB recognises that this is a temporary solution to a wider systemic challenge in our existing pathways for how we assess and diagnose children and young people and support them and their families. There remains full commitment from the ICB in a full transformation programme, and we are continuing to work with partners to ensure that a permanent and long term pathway is in place during 2027/28