For residents of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius, many types of specialist medical care are not available locally. For this care they must travel to another island or country. This is referred to as a medical referral
Insufficient information
For many people, a medical referral is a major event. They are ill, facing uncertainty, and want clarity about their treatment as soon as possible. Discussions held by the National Ombudsman with people who have been involved in a medical referral show that things still regularly go wrong. Applications often take a long time to process, people have no insight into the status of their application, and refusals are insufficiently substantiated.
National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen: “Many people who are ill and in need of medical care are already in a vulnerable position. If they then also have to travel to another island or country for treatment, this brings additional stress. It is therefore important that information about a medical referral is clear and transparent.”
Too little attention to residents’ needs
The investigation also shows that too little account is taken of patients’ personal circumstances when applications are assessed. It is difficult to establish personal contact with staff of Care and Youth Caribbean Netherlands (ZJCN). This is a cause for concern, not least because ZJCN is responsible for both the policy and the implementation of medical referrals.
The National Ombudsman believes that this must change. He calls for more personal contact with people who are transferred for treatment, so that their personal circumstances and needs can be taken better into account. Staff should also be given more scope to depart from standard procedures when the situation requires it. Only in this way can decision-making better reflect what patients actually need.
The complaints procedure can be improved
When people are dissatisfied with their medical referral, they often do not know how or where they can submit a complaint. Many people also do not dare to lodge a complaint because they fear negative consequences for a future application.
Reinier van Zutphen therefore advises: “Make the complaints procedure as simple and clear as possible. And do not wait for complaints afterwards. Before, during and after the transfer, actively ask people about their experiences.”
