News item | 18-06-2025 | 07:00
Two in three care providers: “Quality of care suffers from verbal aggression”
According to employees from the sector, verbal aggression in care and welfare not only influences themselves, but can also affect the care that others receive. Although most contact moments go without verbal aggression, new research shows that even a limited number of incidents can have serious impact. For example, a large majority of care and care providers and welfare employees1 say that the quality of care suffers, and that other patients or clients sometimes have to wait longer or get less attention. Many caregivers also indicate that they get upset after an incident. This is the conclusion of a research by Motivaction commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). To tackle this problem and make the broad impact of verbal aggression visible, today the national campaign ‘Stay yourself, count to 11’.
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Main results from the Motivaction examination:
- According to 65 percent of care and care providers, the quality of care suffers under the verbal aggression of patients, clients or their loved ones
- 73 percent experience that other patients or clients sometimes have to wait longer
- Half (51 percent) of the care and care providers have had to deal with verbal aggression in the last 12 months, 14 percent even one or more times a week.
According to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the campaign is needed because even one incident of verbal aggression can have a major impact – both for care and care providers and for the people they help. Emotions such as sadness, misunderstanding and powerlessness are understandable and belong to the care and well -being sector. But aggression, in whatever form, is never normal. At a time when the pressure on the sector is great, the campaign emphasizes how important it is that we are economical on care and care providers, so that they can continue to do their work with attention and pleasure.
One incident touches many people
Most contact moments between care providers and patients or clients are without aggression. But if there is any verbal aggression, that can be mentally burdensome for the care or care provider involved. Some of them indicate in the investigation after having feelings of fear, insomnia or stress after an incident.
Prof. Dr. Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard, professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam and expert in the field of conflict and violence, explains why that impact can be great: “Verbal aggression against care providers is not only about scolding or screaming, but also intimidating behavior, false accusations or often in question of your work and in question. Get verbal aggression, then that is very drastic.
The consequences are often not limited to the professional himself. 61 percent of care and care providers indicate that this sometimes gives other patients or clients less attention. More than a third (38 percent) report that this can even lead to canceling or postponing another appointment.
Campaign ‘Stay yourself, count to 11’
Today, on June 18, the national awareness campaign ‘Stay yourself, count to 11’ from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The campaign calls on to be careful with our care and care providers and sets a clear social standard: aggression does not belong in the care and welfare sector. Anyone who is aware of their emotions can choose to take a distance – for example by counting to eleven – and thus breaking the tension and maintaining control. The campaign can be seen and listened to on national radio, in podcasts and via online media. Care and welfare organizations can use a Toolkit with materials to actively support the campaign.
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