Medical social workers (MSWs) provide patients and their families with individual and group counselling, financial aid, housing assistance or referral to other community resources to facilitate their treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration into society. To provide easy access to patients and their family members, MSWs are stationed in public hospitals and specialist clinics so that immediate advice and assistance can be given to those in need. In 2002, 148 680 cases received services from 361 MSWs.