Alternative healers targeted by health inspectorate

A legislative change will give the Healthcare Inspectorate the ability to fine or close down alternative healers who cross the line from January 1st, newspaper AD reports. Currently the Healthcare Inspectorate does not have the authority to deal with alternative healers like iridologists, chiropractors, homeopaths and cosmetic surgeons who provide bad care. But from January 1st, the about 40 thousand alternative healers will have to answer to the Inspectorate for medical errors and unhappy customers. "Many people use alternative medicine. I think it is extremely important that patients get more legal certainty, can lodge a complaint with a complaints officer and can say: I was improperly treated." Minister Edith Schippers of Public Health said to the newspaper. "I read things about alternative healers in the newspaper that make me think: that can not be allowed. With this new law the Inspectorate can intervene more effectively." From January 1st alternative healers will be required to report all medical errors to the Inspectorate and a complaints officer will be appointed to help unhappy customers. The Health Inspectorate will also be able to intervene on signals of abuses. Interventions can range from a fine to closure of the practice if a patient is directly endangered.