Quality requirements for care providers

Are you a care provider active in the Netherlands? You must make sure you meet the quality requirements that are set out in a number of laws.  If you provide care under the Healthcare Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet, ZVW) or the Long-term Care Act (Wet langdurige zorg, Wlz), you need to apply for a Wtza authorisation and you must report to the CIBG. Freelancers or self-employed professionals in the healthcare sector only have the duty to report. They do not need a Wtza authorisation.

Quality requirements

To guarantee the quality of care in the Netherlands, there are certain rules and requirements for healthcare providers. These rules and requirements are laid down in various laws, such as:

• the Care Sector Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wkkgz)
• the Individual Healthcare Professions Act (Wet op de Beroepen in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg, Wet BIG)
• the Care Providers Patient Participation Act (Wet medezeggenschap cliënten zorginstellingen, Wmcz)
• the Care Providers Accreditation Act (Wet toetreding zorgaanbieders, Wtza).

Care institutions must meet  a number of quality requirements, for example:

• You provide expert staff. Some care providers must therefore be listed in the BIG register as a healthcare professional.
• You must check whether new employees have had measures taken against them or are subject to an order. You can for instance ask for a Certificate of Conduct (VOG). If the disciplinary body has suspended a care provider or laid them off, they are registered in the Limitations of competence list.
• You provide good quality care. The care is provided in a timely, safe and effective manner.
• If you provide long-term care, you draft a care plan together with the patient (in Dutch). In this plan you state agreements about the care and support that will be provided. You discuss this care plan with the patient at least once a year.
• Your institution has a patients’ council.
• Your institution has a complaints procedure and a complaints committee.
• If the care you provide falls under the Healthcare Market Regulation Act (Wet marktordening gezondheidszorg, Wmg) or the Youth Act (Jeugdwet), you have the obligation to publish a report. Each year before 1 June, your institution publishes a report in which you account for the previous year’s policy and the quality of health care.
• Your employees have the means to notify incidents and to learn from these.

Do you want to find out if you meet the quality requirements? You can use the Dutch-language tool Kwaliteitscheck by the CIBG, an executive body of the Ministry Health, Welfare and Sports.

Applying for a Wtza authorisation

Do you want to provide services in the care sector? You may need to apply for a Wtza authorisation (in Dutch).

Wtza authorisation is required for:

• Care providers who provide specialised medical care
• Care providers who provide medical care under the Healthcare Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet) or the Long-term Care Act (Wet langdurige zorg, Wlz)

Self-employed professionals in the healthcare sector and certain care providers, such as those who provide care under the Social Support act (Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning, Wmo) and the Youth Act (Jeugdwet) (in Dutch), do not need a Wtza authorisation. Registration with CIBG is sufficient.

With CBIGs Dutch-language tool you can easily find out if you need this authorisation.

Registration requirement

New and existing health and youth care providers must report to the CIBG (in Dutch). This applies if you provide care that falls under the Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wet kwaliteit, klachten en geschillen gezondheidszorg, Wkkgz):

• care under the Healthcare Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet, Zvw), also if it is paid via a personal care budget (persoonsgebonden budget, pgb)
• long-term Care Act (Wet langdurige zorg, Wlz), also if it is paid via pgb
• other forms of care such as alternative medicine, and care not aimed at health such as cosmetic care
• private care

This applies to self-employed professionals and institutions, main contractors and subcontractors. You can read more information on the duty to report at Accession of care providers (Toetreding zorgaanbieders) (in Dutch).

The CIBG will send your registration to the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (Inspectie Gezondheidszorg en Jeugd, IGJ). This enables the inspectorate to better monitor the quality of the care provided.

You can read more information on the duty to report at the Accession of care providers website (Toetreding zorgaanbieders, in Dutch).

Notification of emergencies at care institutions

Care institutions have to report emergencies, violence, or dismissals on capability grounds (in Dutch) to the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ). This requirement applies not only to institutions offering inpatient care, but also to GP practices and home care organisations, for example.