Complaints procedure for adults

The Wkkgz (wet kwaliteit, klachten en geschillen zorg): since January 1st 2017, the complaints and disputes regulation law has been in force under the (wkkgz) Quality, Complaints and Disputes in Healthcare Act. This arrangement applies to:

• Adults (18 years and older)
• Young people under 18 who pay for their own treatment (or their parents do)

Where can you address your complaint?

• the complaints procedure
• disciplinary law
• complaints about health insurers
• complaints about forms

The complaints procedure
Are you dissatisfied with your practitioner? Then you can do the following.

Step 1: Talk about your dissatisfaction with the practitioner
If you have a complaint about your practitioner or the treatment, it is best to talk about it with him in the first place. Sometimes a conversation about your dissatisfaction can provide clarification.

Questions about rates and regulations?
Do you have questions about rates and regulations? Then you can contact the LVVP office. Call tel. number  (030) 236 43 38 or mail to r.bakker@lvvp.info  or t.ruijl@lvvp.info

Step 2: involve a complaints officer
Sometimes it is difficult to talk to the practitioner himself. Or you don’t feel heard.
If you cannot solve it together, you can ask a complaints officer from the LVVP to mediate.

Because it is impossible for independent mental health professionals to have their own complaints officer, the LVVP makes use of the professional complaints officers of Klacht & Company. You can appeal to this officer as a client of an LVVP member. The complaints officers are trained in such a way that – in addition to the initial complaint handling – they can mediate in the handling of your complaint.

Submit a complaint to the complaints officer
You can submit a complaint as follows.

• Fill in the complaint form ‘LVVP-klachtenformulier’.
• Mail the completed form to LVVP@klachtencompany.nl.
• The complaints officer will contact you within 2 working days.
• You can also call the complaints officer: tel. number (088) 234 16 06.

You will find the LVVP-klachtenregeling in het kader van de Wkkgz here.

The disputes committee
Has this not resolved your complaint? Or can you not be expected, in your situation, to discuss the complaint with your practitioner and / or the complaints officer? Then you can submit your complaint to the Disputes Committee for independent mental health practices in The Hague. This disputes committee makes a binding decision. This judgment can also concern a possible damage claim up to a maximum of € 25000,–. LVVP members are affiliated with the Healthcare Disputes Committee in The Hague. The disputes committee has set up a digital portal for patients of independent psychologists / psychotherapists.

The Disputes Committee for Independent Mental Healthcare Practices can be reached digitally and by post via PO Box 90600, 2509 LP The Hague. There are costs associated with the use of the disputes committee.

Disciplinary law
Gz psychologists, psychotherapists and clinical (neuro) psychologists also fall under disciplinary law. This is regulated in the BIG Act. You can therefore also submit your complaint to the Disciplinary Court for Healthcare. More information can be found on the website of the disciplinary committee.

Centraal Tuchtcollege voor de gezondheidszorg
Postbus 20302
2500 EH Den Haag

Regionale Tuchtcolleges
Regionaal Tuchtcollege Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Utrecht)
Postbus 84500
1080 BN Amsterdam
telefoon 088-3712500

Regionaal Tuchtcollege Den Haag (Zuid-Holland, Zeeland)
Postbus 97831
2509 GE Den Haag
telefoon 088-3712520

Regionaal Tuchtcollege Eindhoven (Noord-Brabant, Limburg)
Postbus 61
5600 AB Eindhoven
telefoon 088-3712550

Regionaal Tuchtcollege Groningen (Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe)
Postbus 11144
9700 CC Groningen
telefoon 088-3712560

Regionaal Tuchtcollege Zwolle (Overijssel, Gelderland, Flevoland)
Postbus 10067
8000 GB Zwolle
telefoon 088-3712570

What can you do if you have a complaint about your health insurance company?
Do you have complaints about, for example, the reimbursement by your health insurance company? Then you can contact the independent Health Insurance Complaints and disputes Foundation (www.skgz.nl).
Do you think the health insurance company does not respect your privacy? Are the changes in care causing problems for you and your loved ones? Do you notice that things are not yet properly arranged? Or do you have another complaint or question about mental health care? Then you can contact the nationale healthcare reporting center: landelijk meldpunt zorg.
Are you in urgent need, for example because you miss necessary care? You can also contact the natonal healthcare reporting center.

What can you do if you have a complaint about redundant or complicated forms?
Do you find the forms from your health insurance company or practitioner unnecessarily complicated or superfluous? Then you can submit a complaint to the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa).
You can call the complaints line tel. number (088)7708770 or mail to info@nza.nl.
The NZa can then issue a binding advice on this, but this is not necessary. You can also submit a report without the NZa attaching a binding recommendation to this.