3000 sign petition against counselling cuts
Teegan Pryjma of Wallsend (in wheelchair) who relies on free counselling services which are going to be cut, with her mum Jenny Pryjma of Wallsend at Newcastle Foreshore. Pic MAX MASON-HUBERS
SIGN THE PETITION HERE
MORE than 3000 people have responded angrily to the cut of a free counselling service in the Hunter.
Hunter New England Health will transfer its general social work and psychology services to other providers from March.
Hunter New England Health chief executive Michael DiRienzo said a ‘‘duplication of services’’ offered by Hunter Medicare Local and other non-government organisations superseded the role of Hunter New England’s general counselling.
Speaking anonymously, the woman behind an online campaign to ‘‘Save counselling services in NSW’’ has labelled the transition ‘‘a tragedy’’, saying vulnerable people will suffer emotionally and financially and fall through the cracks.
In response to the campaign, Mr DiRienzo said there was ‘‘a lot of misinformation in the community,’’ regarding changes to the counselling services.