The position of residents in care and nursing homes is to be strengthened, junior health minister Martin van Rijn said on Thursday.

Van Rijn was at the centre of a row last November after his father and a neighbour gave an interview to AD in which they criticised the care their wives are receiving.

The minister now plans to introduce a personal ‘care plan’ for all residents of care and nursing homes in which their wishes will be written. There will also be an independent ‘client supporter’ who will advise residents and their relatives.

The plans are part of changes the minister wants to introduce to improve the quality of care homes, the Volkskrant reports.

New position

The ‘client supporter’ is a new position and every care home will have to have one. ‘The supporter is expected to know the care business and will help with the choice of a care home and with the drawing up and evaluation of the care plan,’ Van Rijn said.

Van Rijn also wants to reduce the amount of administration in care homes which currently takes up one-fifth of workers’ time. With 260,000 workers in 138 full-time jobs, his aim for a 10% reduction would indirectly create 2,760 full-time jobs, he said.

Unions

The plans have been drawn up with the cooperation of most organisations involved in care of the elderly. Only the unions were not involved and they are critical, says the Volkskrant. ‘Care home workers are being laid off even though these people cannot be missed,’ a FNV union spokesman told the paper.

A spokesman for care home sector organisation ActiZ, which was involved in the plans, said they are not sure whether the plans are achievable. ‘They require a lot of work from staff on top of the changes which are already being implemented.’