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Rod Stewart has offered to pay for the autism diagnosis of a child who has spent three years on a waiting list.
The singer stepped in after reading about the case of four-year-old Iain Gregori, who is non-verbal and is due to start school this summer.
His father, Michael, told the Daily Record, which has been highlighting the lack of medical appointments for children with conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, that he feared his son was “lost in the system”.
The case was raised by the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, at first minister’s questions on Thursday.
Sarwar told MSPs: “Three years on, Iain is still non-verbal and is still waiting on a diagnosis.”
He revealed that Iain’s father had been a member of the SNP and campaigned for them to be in government: “He told me that they should now hang their heads in shame, as they have let Scotland down.”
Sarwar added: “When speaking of his son, he said: ‘Everyone is saying Iain needs this diagnosis, he is autistic, everyone is sure of it, but at the same time he needs an official diagnosis to get the resources he needs’.
“Rod Stewart heard this heartbreaking story and stepped in to pay for Iain’s diagnosis. Others won’t be as lucky – why, on [first minister] John Swinney’s watch, do young people have to rely on the charity of a rock star to get the treatment they need?”
Responding, Swinney said an official diagnosis was not required to access support.
“It is absolutely critical that I make that point to parliament today,” he said. “Because there are other pathways that are available, other than diagnosis for ADHD or a neurodiversity condition, which enables young people to attract the support that will assist them in meeting the challenges that they face.”
Swinney said he wanted to reassure parents there was “support available to meet the needs of individual young people”.
He added: “The government is taking a range of interventions where we’re expanding mental health support or supporting the development of community interventions and we are working to make sure that young people get that support at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Stewart told the Daily Record his team would find a private specialist in London or in Scotland to provide a diagnosis and he would cover the costs.
He said: “I’ve been very successful in my career and blessed so far with good health. I also have seven children who are all blessed with good health so I can’t imagine what it must be like for the boy’s parents.”
Michael Gregori said he was a lifelong Stewart fan: “I grew up on Rod’s music. My adopted mum used to play his music all the time and it stuck with me. It is incredible he wants to help us.”
