On Monday, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport reached an agreement with, among others, the Association for Disability Care Netherlands (VGN) about the visitors’ scheme in care institutions. People with disabilities in a care institution may only receive a visit if this visit is essential for the client.
The Ministry and the VGN also met with various interest groups for clients, such as KansPlus and Elke (in). The parties involved have been advised by RIVM, according to VGN in the press release.
The VGN reports in a press release that despite the agreement, the policy may differ slightly per location. However, a so-called “no-unless policy” applies everywhere.
That policy means that a person in a healthcare facility should not receive a visit unless contact with the person in question is “essential” for the client. The VGN says that health comes first. “And we all contribute to preventing the spread of the virus,” the association said.
Visiting can be essential for mental health
A client’s visit may, for example, be so important if the person is actively involved in providing daily care. The visit can also be essential for a client’s mental health.
According to the VGN, a care institution can then decide to approach this person as a care worker. The only condition for this is that the person in question must not have any health complaints that are consistent with the coronavirus.
If the visit of a specific person is finally allowed, he / she may stay with the client for an hour at most. The client may receive a maximum of one person per day as a visitor.
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