AQW 8794/09 Written question to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the availability of fertility counselling services in each Health and Social Care Trust area.
Asked by Naomi Long MLA on 29 June 2009
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 29 June 2009
- Answer due by
- 15 July 2009
- Answered
- 10 July 200911 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Counselling services are an integral part of fertility treatment and it is for commissioners and trusts to ensure that they are readily available where and when needed.
The Infertility Counselling Service, which is currently contracted to provide counselling sessions, has offices in Belfast; they also come to the Regional Fertility Centre on occasion to deliver sessions. These sessions are available to patients from across Northern Ireland. The Infertility Counselling Service is exploring the possibility of providing sessions in Cookstown, Omagh and/or Altnagelvin.
In September 2006 my predecessor announced an additional £50k per annum to improve the accessibility of counselling services within fertility services and this is being utilised to provide extra services including fertility nurse advisors in each Trust providing secondary and tertiary fertility services (though not all are yet in post). Funding has also been provided to Infertility Network UK to provide information and support to patients.