‘Ad hoc’ mental care for cancer patients

SERVICES to treat psychological distress in cancer patients are still largely unstructured, under-resourced and delivered in an ad hoc fashion, a conference for breast cancer survivors will hear today.

The National Cancer Control Strategy, published in June 2006, recommended the provision of dedicated, multi-disciplinary, psycho-oncology services in the eight designated cancer centres.

When the report was published the Department of Health tasked the Health Service Executive with ensuring that access to comprehensive psycho- oncology and psychosocial support is provided for cancer patients and their families to identify and manage stress.