A cut of 225 million euros in elderly care next year will not happen. Sources confirm a report from NRC about this. The newspaper has the budget of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in its hands.
This concerns two austerity measures. For example, a plan to save 125 million euros by having healthcare providers and healthcare offices make multi-year agreements has been off the table.
In addition, the mandatory standard of two caregivers for every eight residents in nursing homes will not be abandoned. That cut in personnel costs should have yielded 100 million. The reason why the cuts are not going ahead is that the sector is not yet ready to implement the measures.
Opposition and demonstration
The decision to scrap the measures was reportedly taken some time ago. It will be officially announced tomorrow on Budget Day.
However, not all proposed discounts on elderly care will be scrapped. There are still cuts in fall prevention and real estate for nursing homes. Measures to allow people to live at home longer will also remain in place.
A significant part of the opposition in the House of Representatives had previously urged outgoing Minister Helder for Long-term Care not to allow the cuts to continue. At the beginning of this month, hundreds of people demonstrated in The Hague against the government’s plans.
- Chamber does not want to discuss discounts for elderly care, but does want to discuss the number of nitrogen plans
- Elderly care protests: the transition to self-reliance is happening much too quickly
- More than 250 elderly care organizations are going to court over rates
