Vol. 487 No. 8
75 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress made since his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 21 October 1997 in relation to counselling and advice for people with cancer; the progress made in developing the framework for assessing both the need for and the value of counselling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5329/98]
I am committed to identifying the most appropriate counselling services for persons with serious long-term illnesses such as cancer. To this end I have agreed in principle to allocate funding for a study of the area this year. My Department and the Eastern Health Board are holding discussions on the exact scope of a study to examine counselling services for persons with cancer. The main emphasis will be to identify the value of alternative forms of counselling so that it best meets the needs of patients and their families. I anticipate that the study will commence shortly.
