What training there is for health professionals working with patients with autistic spectrum disorder.

Patients with an autistic spectrum disorder will be seen by a range of healthcare professionals working in a variety of care settings, and such professionals will have undergone undergraduate and pre-registration teaching, and postgraduate education and training to the curricula requirements of their respective Regulatory bodies. In order to progress through training to qualification, such professionals need to have demonstrated evidence of how they have acquired the necessary competencies specified within the relevant curriculum.

Once qualified, such professionals are expected to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge through continuous professional development activities, and support for study leave is available for such purposes.

The Scottish Government has been proactive in responding to the needs of those with an autistic spectrum disorder. The Scottish Strategy for Autism recognises the importance of training of all professionals and on 4 October 2012, I announced a spend of £100,000 to offer free training places on autism awareness-raising courses being run by the Open University and the University of Strathclyde, to professionals, individuals with autism and their families/carers. We are in the early stages of active discussion with NHS Education for Scotland regarding autism training for health practitioners, with a view to further improving health professionals' understanding of autism.