Vooruit does not receive requested research committee on care for the elderly | Interior

“The abuses in elderly care continue to pile up,” said Flemish Member of Parliament Hannes Anaf. “Some commercial residential care centers have already had to close, but the Flemish government is hopelessly lagging behind. However, they have had inspection reports for months showing the abuses.”

“It is always the same cowboys who spoil it for the sector,” says Anaf. “Players like Orpea suck millions of euros out of healthcare every year, so that the quality drops and you are only left with a hefty rest home bill. That has to be done away with.”

The call for a committee of inquiry was supported by Vlaams Belang, Groen and PVDA, but not by the majority parties. “There are already a lot of things going on. To dismiss this as if the government would not want to intervene is manifestly incorrect,” said Veerle Geerinckx of N-VA. “We have to recognize that one of the causes of the incidents is a lack of personnel. The government has now allocated money to finance the heavy care profiles as it should be.”

According to N-VA, the committee would do double work. “A committee of inquiry that would sort out the same issues that have already been sorted out in the committees about childcare and corona, that would lead to a loss of time and duplication of work. And I think we have no time to lose.”

According to Katrien Schryvers of CD&V, a lot of things are already being set up to tackle the crisis. “You asked for a hearing, there will be a hearing in the first week after the Easter break,” she said. “We have also asked the Court of Audit to examine the financial flows in the sector.”

Read also: “Are you really tired of that negative stamp”: residents and family in the breach for residential care center ‘Het Dorp’ in Helchteren (+)