Academic hospitals and specialists also stop healthcare agreement discussions

• Sander Zurhake

  healthcare editor

The interest groups of academic hospitals, independent clinics and medical specialists are also withdrawing from negotiations on a new, comprehensive healthcare agreement that would run until 2028.

The healthcare sector finds the unexpected cut of 315 million euros in healthcare, which limited cuts to education last week, unacceptable. In the eyes of the healthcare sector, this is all the more so because hospitals plagued by staff shortages receive 165 million euros less to train nurses and specialist nurses.

Earlier today, the Dutch Association of Hospitals announced that it wanted to withdraw from the negotiations. Ad Melkert, chairman of the Dutch Association of Hospitals, also states on behalf of the other parties that the extra savings are a bridge too far. “Health care is facing enormous challenges, with increasing labor market shortages and an increasing demand for care. The financial position of the hospital sector is already vulnerable.”

The healthcare interest groups had not taken a change of course into account. After all, the government program states that in addition to equal access to care for patients, the new healthcare agreement also focuses on “avoiding the labor market shortage”.

That text received broad support in the healthcare world. The previously promised training funds, which the government now wants to cut, are crucial for the sector to become a more attractive employer. In addition, nurses are given more responsibilities in the new healthcare system and further training is indispensable.

“These cuts must be off the table,” Melkert said. “It is crucial that we can continue to invest in our employees who are the heart of healthcare in the coming years. It is therefore a shame that these employees are now suffering the consequences.”

Now that Healthcare Minister Fleur Agema is losing the support of hospitals and doctors, it will probably become more difficult to achieve key points of her policy. For example, the new healthcare agreement also had to ensure that smaller regional hospitals continue to exist.

The healthcare parties have sent a letter to the Senate in which they emphasize that the “feasibility and desirability of these measures” have not been sufficiently investigated. They ask the Senate members to enter into discussions with Ministers Agema and Eppo Bruins (Education) before they cast their votes on the budgets.

Several senators have said on LinkedIn that they do not want to vote on the budget immediately. For example, Roel van Gurp (GroenLinks-PvdA) writes that he will “of course” ask critical questions. “The vote on this budget will only take place after these questions have been answered, which will be in the new year,” Van Gurp said in response to a message from V&VN, the professional association of nurses.

The municipalities previously left the negotiations on the healthcare agreement, because the government would release too little money to realize the plans. For example, the funds that had been agreed with the Rutte IV cabinet were used for other plans when the new cabinet took office.