A nursing home director is claiming the social insurance bank SVB would only pay for some residents’ care on condition she agreed not to go public with anything negative about the way it had operated.

Nicky Beelen, who heads the Zorghuis home in Deurne, was told to sign an agreement pledging to keep quiet about the bank’s behaviour in return for the payment of residents’ personal care budgets (PGB).

Beelen was on the verge of going to court about the non-payment of the funds when the SVB offered to speed up payments in return for her silence. ‘As a company we had little choice because we need the money,’ she said. ‘I have to pay my staff every month.’

Beelen is an active user of Twitter and the agreement states that the only comment she could make about the deal  was ‘problem solved to our satisfaction.#pgbalarm’.

Surprised

Junior health minister Martin van Rijn said he is surprised by the gagging order and has asked the SVB for clarification. MPs have also expressed their concerns about a government organisation abusing its power.

Beelen said she had gone public because the budgets had again not been paid and that her institution is owed over €190,000. The SVB disputes this.

The payment of PGBs has been in chaos since a new administration system was introduced at the beginning of this year. PGBs enable people who need help to buy in the best care that suits them. Under the new system it is paid directly to the carers.