Two out of three healthcare providers: “Quality of care suffers from verbal aggression”

Main results from the Motivaction study:

• According to 65% of healthcare and welfare providers, the quality of care suffers from verbal aggression from patients, clients, or their relatives
• 73% experience that other patients or clients sometimes have to wait longer because of this
• Half (51%) of healthcare and welfare providers have encountered verbal aggression in the past 12 months, with 14% experiencing it one or more times a week.

According to the Ministry of VWS, the campaign is necessary because even one incident of verbal aggression can have a significant impact - both for healthcare and welfare providers and for the people they help. Emotions such as sadness, misunderstanding, and helplessness are understandable and are part of the healthcare and welfare sector. However, aggression, in any form, is never normal. In a time when the pressure on the sector is high, the campaign emphasizes how important it is to take care of our healthcare and welfare providers so that they can continue to do their work with attention and joy.

Most contact moments between healthcare providers and patients or clients occur without aggression. But when there is verbal aggression, it can be mentally taxing for the involved healthcare or welfare provider. Some of them indicate in the study that after an incident they experience feelings of anxiety, insomnia, or stress.

Prof. Dr. Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard, professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam and an expert in conflict and violence, explains why the impact can be significant:
Verbal aggression against healthcare providers is not just about cursing or yelling, but also about intimidating behavior, false accusations, or repeatedly questioning your work. Healthcare providers do their work with attention, involvement, and often under high pressure. If you then encounter verbal aggression, it is very impactful. You feel less safe, start doubting yourself, or dread the next conversation.

The consequences often do not remain limited to the professional themselves. 61% of healthcare and welfare providers indicate that other patients or clients sometimes receive less attention because of this. More than a third (38%) report that this can even lead to canceling or postponing another appointment.

Today, on June 18, 2025, the national awareness campaign ‘Stay yourself, count to 11’ from the Ministry of VWS starts. The campaign calls for taking care of our healthcare and welfare providers and sets a clear social norm: aggression has no place in the healthcare and welfare sector. Those who are aware of their emotions can choose to take a step back - for example, by counting to 11 - thus breaking the tension and maintaining control. The campaign can be seen and heard on national radio, in podcasts, and through online media. Healthcare and welfare organizations can use a toolkit with materials to actively support the campaign.