Belgium Expands Speech Therapy Access for Cancer Patients and Children

Belgium’s Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke, will expand access to speech therapy starting September 1st. Patients undergoing head and neck cancer treatment will now receive up to 10 preventative speech therapy sessions before surgery or radiotherapy, integrated into their existing care package. Previously, these sessions were only covered after treatment, despite the known impact of these procedures on speech, chewing, and swallowing.

The changes also streamline care for children born with cleft lip and palate. Families will no longer need to repeatedly seek approval from a medical advisor for continued speech therapy extending from birth to adolescence. A simple request for continuation will be automatically approved if no response is received.

Vandenbroucke described the changes as a concrete improvement for patients, families, and speech therapists, aiming to address bureaucratic hurdles and accelerate recovery. The move intends to improve wellbeing by providing earlier intervention and reducing administrative burden.