Jamie McKenzie
An Inverness mother leading the campaign to improve waiting times for diagnosing children in the Highlands with autism has revealed plans to stage a protest later this month.
Sylvia Mackenzie battled the authorities for 10 years to have her son diagnosed with the condition, and claims she was regularly told by health and education professionals that the problem was down to her parenting rather than her son’s condition.
Her son Kobe was eventually diagnosed under another health board in 2013, and NHS Highland sent her a letter of apology after a ruling by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
Mrs MacKenzie spoke to the Press and Journal last July about her ordeal in a bid to stop other families from suffering in the same way.
But in January she spoke about history repeating itself with her grandson, Kayson MacKenzie, who has similar traits and has been waiting for a full assessment for nearly two years.
In February, the 48-year-old launched an action group on social media which now has a following of 246 members.
On Friday, Mrs MacKenzie started a petition – which has attracted more than 150 signatures – to push NHS Highland to issue a timescale for autism diagnosis for children in the region.
And she is planning a peaceful protest with members of other affected families near the junction into Raigmore Hospital in Inverness on July 29.
Yesterday she said: “When a child has been flagged up to a professional, until the diagnosis there should be a timescale. In that 10 years I waited for my son to get a second opinion, four years of that I did not see one professional. That’s a waste of a child’s life and that’s happening all over.
“It’s not that we are pushing for a diagnosis, we are pushing for a timescale of a diagnosis so that families don’t have to wait years and years. It took five weeks for Kobe to be diagnosed when he eventually went to Yorkhill in Glasgow”.
On Friday, Mrs MacKenzie also met with local MP Drew Hendry to raise her concerns. Yesterday Mr Hendry said: “I will be seeking to meet with the chairman of NHS Highland, David Alston, on the specific issues raised by this family but also to discuss, more generally, what can be done to improve autism support in the Highlands”.
NHS Highland has said work is under way in the Highlands to improve waiting times for diagnosis.
