7 July 2008

Patient freeze comes earlier this year
Trouw leads with the headline ‘Patient freeze in home care sparks unrest'. This weekend, in the latest in a series of crises in the sector, two home care providers announced that they will not accept new patients. The providers Thuiszorg Groningen and Sensire say they have run out of money because their budget for this year has been cut by five percent while the number of patients has increased.

AD writes that "announcing a patient freeze is a yearly ritual, but this one has come earlier than usual".

De Volkskrant reports that the opposition Socialists and Green Left parties have called on Deputy Health Minister Jet Bussemaker to come up with a plan to deal with the crisis; otherwise they will recall parliament from its summer recess.

Sunday's De Telegraaf writes that the recently released annual report of a home care provider reveals that it paid an extra EUR 1.4 million to three departing managers.

Just last week, a nearly bankrupt home care provider in Amsterdam gave its departing manager a golden handshake worth EUR 650,000.

Open borders for Polish workers cause political tension
De Volkskrant reports that Social Affairs Minister Piet Hein Donner "has something to think about during the summer recess".

In a series of motions, MPs from the governing coalition voiced their concern about problems with Polish workers. They also want to know what the minister will do to prevent similar problems with Romanians and Bulgarians.

De Volkskrant writes "The drift of parliament's message is clear: if Donner doesn't take steps parliament will vote against the opening of borders to Bulgarians and Romanians on 1 January and he and the cabinet will be faced with political problems."

The Christian Democrats are openly saying they have "great reservations" about their own minister when it comes to his handling of problems relating to Polish workers.

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