AQW 8066/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health whether he will reinstate funding for specialist counselling services for victims of sexual abuse.
Asked by Connie Egan MLA on 4 March 2024
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Priority
- Tabled
- 4 March 2024
- Answer due by
- 7 March 2024
- Answered
- 8 March 20244 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- Yes
Answer
On 4 March 2024 in my statement to the Assembly, I advised that funding for specialist counselling services for victims of sexual abuse would not be withdrawn.
I provided reassurance regarding my ongoing commitment to the importance of the provision of specialist counselling services for victims of sexual abuse.
I acknowledged that the current contract with Nexus was due to end automatically on 31 March 2024 and that there had been ongoing under performance issues.
However, in order to avoid a gap in provision in services for new people coming forward, I approved a further extension of 12 months to this contract to allow further discussions to occur to map out future sustainable arrangements.