Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Paul Blokhuis
Paul Blokhuis - Credit: Photo: Rijksoverheid
Health
Paul Blokhuis
Ministry of Public Health Welfare and Sports
Edith Schippers
mental healthcare
waiting lists
fine
health insurer
Wednesday, 11 April 2018 - 09:40
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Fines for insurers that don't tackle mental health waiting lists

The government is threatening to fine health insurers that don't do their utmost to shorten waiting lists for mental healthcare, State Secretary Paul Blokhuis of Public Health said to the Volkskrant.

This is one of the measures Blokhuis has planned to tackle waiting lists in mental health care. Others include asking patients to be more assertive, and making it possible to place care providers under stricter supervision.

In July last year former Public Health Minister Edith Schippers made agreements with the health care sector on reducing waiting lists. It was agreed that the long waiting lists would disappear within a year. Blokhuis is not satisfied with the progress. According to him, virtually no treatments are being done within the waiting list norms, which are that a first examination must happen within four weeks and treatment must start within the following 10 weeks.

The State Secretary called it "inconceivable" that people have to wait so long for treatment. The long waiting times aggravate the problems, he said. "It can go from bad to worse. People get into debt, lose their jobs or their marriage breaks down."

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • PrEP care becomes available to everyone at risk of HIV in the Netherlands
  • Woman on trial for murdering boyfriend with poison in 2020 found dead in Tilburg
  • Dutch State sells off more of its ABN Amro shares; Equity stake now below 50%
  • Western passenger tunnel of Amsterdam CS closed for renovations until mid-2024
  • Defense pleads manslaughter, not murder, in double killings by couple
  • Riots: Remainder of suspended Ajax-Feyenoord match to be played in empty stadium

Top stories

  • Woman on trial for murdering boyfriend with poison in 2020 found dead in Tilburg
  • Riots: Remainder of suspended Ajax-Feyenoord match to be played in empty stadium
  • Ten customs officers dismissed over drug crimes in four years
  • NS proposes maximum rush hour surcharge at €2.50 per train ticket
  • Ajax fire director of football Sven Mislintat amid scandal, poor performance
  • 2,000 people join class action lawsuit against Tata Steel

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content