‘Absolutely no one has got an autism diagnosis through the GP – this is just incorrect, wrong, fake news.’
Nigel Farage has been blasted by campaigners for claiming that children are being ‘overdiagnosed’ with mental health issues and special educational needs and disabilities.
Speaking at a press conference in Dover yesterday, Farage was questioned about his comments regarding increased pressure on services due to rising SEND needs.
Farage said: “I’m not being heartless here, I’m being frank, I think we’re massively overdiagnosing those with mental illness problems, those with other general behavioural disabilities.”
The Reform leader said: “When you get to 18 and you put somebody on a disability register, unemployed, with a high level of benefits, you’re telling people aged 18 that they’re victims.”
There is, however, no such thing as a national disability register in the UK.
He went on to say: “If you’re told you’re a victim and you think you’re a victim, you’re very likely to stay as a victim.”
Farage also suggested that diagnoses are conducted by GPs online: “so many of these diagnoses for SEND before 18, for the disability register after 18, so many of these have been conducted on Zoom with the family GP.”
He also argued that when GPs have known families for “generations” and a patient raises concerns like depression, it can be difficult for them to challenge it.
Experts have slammed Farage for being “out of touch” and spreading “fake news”.
Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “Nigel Farage’s comments are wildly inaccurate and show that he’s completely out of touch with what autistic children and adults have to go through to get a diagnosis or any support at all.”
Merritt debunked Farage’s claim that young people get autism diagnoses through their GP.
She said: “For the record, absolutely no one has got an autism diagnosis through the GP – this is just incorrect, wrong, fake news.”
“Children with SEND and disabled adults, including autistic people, are not victims who are being ‘over diagnosed’.”
Merritt said they “face huge delays and long fights to get the most basic support across every aspect of their lives, including diagnosis, education, health and social care.”
“Spreading misinformation only perpetuates stigma and makes life harder. We’re calling on all politicians to drop the political point scoring and stand up for their autistic and other disabled constituents.”
Guardian columnist John Harris, who has written about bonding with his autistic son through music, said on Blue Sky: “Farage talking arrant and nasty rubbish here.
“You can’t get an autism/SEND diagnosis from a GP. People are having to wait years for one.
“This is just Trump/Kennedy stuff, with a flavour of Badenoch & the right wing UK media.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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