Debt relief for countries hit by the Asian tsunami has hit opposition while concern was raised that a shortage of bereavement counsellors could hamper efforts to support grieving Britons.
More than 400 Britons are feared dead after the Boxing Day disaster, with many family and friends grieving and in need of counselling.
A memo from the Department of Health, seen by the Health Service Journal, said survivors and relatives of the dead should be given counselling by their local health services.
But the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) said the average wait to see an NHS counsellor ranged from two weeks to six months.
The DoH memo, sent to acute and primary care trust chief executives, said: "It is expected that those returning from the area may have significant psychological distress.
"Services need to be readily available to meet these needs."
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