According to the Dutch Healthcare Authority, the large number of referrals may be related to backlogs that arose during the pandemic. Another explanation is that people have developed psychological complaints as a result of the pandemic, for example because they lost their work or daytime activities.
Standards not met
Healthcare providers and insurers have agreed standards for waiting times in mental health care. For example, a client must be able to visit a mental health institution within 4 weeks for an initial consultation. Treatment must begin within 10 weeks of that meeting.
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Long wait for treatment
But even before the outbreak of the corona virus, these standards were regularly not met. The waiting time is particularly high for treatments for personality disorders, ADHD, autism and dementia.
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Months of waiting
The 18-year-old Robin Knegt can talk about it. She is on a waiting list for the treatment of autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The waiting time for her: 1.5 years.
“I can’t travel long for treatment, so even if there is room elsewhere in the country, that’s not an option for me. It’s frustrating. When things went really bad, I could go for a crisis admission, but why want to? let them get that far first?” Knegt asks himself.
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Alarming phone calls
The waiting lists are also an eyesore for Door Bijsterveld’s son. “He signed up in April last year because of depression and social anxiety. That was reinforced by corona: he had dips in his moods.”
Even though the treatment had not yet started, Bijsterveld’s son had to pay a substantial amount for the intake. “His entire deductible of more than 800 euros was immediately through. For a conversation of 1.5 hours.” Then the long wait for a treatment could begin.
That was hastily started last month, but only after several alarming phone calls. “My son called himself every time things went bad. They were fed up and put him in the middle. After his first appointment you saw hope again. That perspective is really important.”
The solution does not exist
Arnoud Jansen is medical director of Dimence Groep, a large healthcare organization in the east of the country. He recognizes the problems with the waiting lists. “If you have people with complex problems, you have a bad outflow from the waiting list. Then you quickly get a reservoir.”
There is no quick solution. “I think, and that is not easy within the current system, that focusing on prevention can help. That means focusing more on help at the front – before people need help with mental health care. That is already happening, but it is not yet paying off More money needs to be arranged for it.”
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