West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox met the chief executive on the Devon Partnership Trust last week to raise concerns about the provision of mental health and learning disability services in the area. Mr Cox briefed the trust's Iain Tulley on the experiences of his constituents, in particular the lack of community crisis and assertive intervention coverage in West Devon and Torridge during out of hours and the weekends. The MP said Mr Tulley accepted there were problems with these services and that the quality of its provision had to improve. Mr Cox was heartened by the trust's commitment, he said, to tackle the lack of local facilities for those with autistic spectrum disorders. A member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, Mr Cox has encouraged the trust to create better opportunities for early diagnosis and intervention. Mr Cox said Mr Tulley had confirmed that a trust working party is considering the creation of a 'centre of excellence' for autistic spectrum disorders. Mr Cox said: 'I was particularly pleased that the trust has taken the initiative to develop a facility for the purpose of providing diagnosis and intervention for autistic spectrum disorders. 'This is an area where there are few facilities, particularly in West Devon and Torridge, and in which much more needs to be done.'
