Health Sec: New social care system has "not gone well"

State Secretary Martin van Rijn of Public Health has admitted that the introduction of the new system for personal budgets has "not gone well" in a letter sent to the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, on Tuesday.

The letter states that there were signals that the new payment system could lead to problems, but that that the Social Insurance Bank proclaimed that January 1st was feasible, NU. reports. The SVB has been responsible for the payment of personal budget claims since January 1st. The SVB has since appeared not to be up to the task, resulting in personal budget holders and caregivers sometimes having to wait weeks for their money.

On Wednesday the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, will have its fifth debate regarding the chaos surrounding the the new personal budget reimbursement system. Van Rijn is facing increasing pressure, especially since reports that he was warned about the possible problems months before the new system took effect.

"It is still a mess. Van Rijn can not insist that he has adequately dealt with the warning." ChristenUnie parliamentarian Carla Dik-Faber said to NU. "I want to know when the decision was made that it was justifiable to introduce the new system." The SP wants to know why these warnings were never shared with the Kamer. "Letters appear in the media that say he was warned, but he never let the Kamer know. He always said to us that everything would be fine with the personal budgets." said Renske Leijten.