Wellington, March 9 NZPA - Administrative changes to the processing of sexual abuse claims have led to a dramatic drop in the number approved for counselling, Labour MP Lynne Pillay said today.

Just 32 cases had been approved for counselling in the first two months of this year, compared to 472 in January and February 2009.

Another 112 applicants this year had their cases for ACC support declined and "hundreds of people are languishing in no man's land waiting for their claims to be processed," Ms Pillay said.

"Changes made by the National Government for people accessing counselling services have been an unmitigated disaster that has caused people who have suffered at the hands of sexual predators even more suffering."

ACC Minister Nick Smith has promised to hold a six-monthly review of the changes, but this had yet to take place.

The Government has said the changes were not cost cutting measures introduced by them, but were recommended by clinicians as part of better practice.