After years of discussion, ministers have finally reached agreement on plans to allow Dutch hospitals to make a profit and pay dividends to shareholders, the Volkskrant reports on Friday.

Health minister Edith Schippers thinks the change will make hospitals more attractive to investors such as pension funds and that this will boost the quality of care.

The Volkskrant says the lower house of parliament backed draft legislation introducing a profit motive to hospital care on Thursday evening. However,  the concept does not appear have majority support in the upper house which will slow the bill’s progress.

The plan is supported by the two Liberal parties, the ruling VVD and opposition D66. They say allowing hospitals to pay dividends to shareholders will increase their access to alternative funding.

The ruling Labour party, which opposed the principle in the past, is also now in favour because of its alliance with the VVD, the Volkskrant says.

Quality

Opposition MPs are against the plan. ‘Healthcare is not a commercial market,’ Socialist MP Renske Leijten said in the Volkskrant. She expects quality to decline as hospitals focus on making a profit for their shareholders.

Schippers says outside investment will be strictly controlled and that foreign investment companies will be banned from putting money into Dutch hospitals.

The investments must also be long term and will only be allowed to deliver returns under tough conditions, the minister says.