The care and support of people in the Netherlands is at a critical point. We are living longer. This is good news in itself, but it means that more and more Dutch people need care and support. In the coming years, this group will even double. At the same time, the number of caregivers is not growing sufficiently. If we do not change anything, there will soon be insufficient help for those who need it. Therefore, we will organize it smarter for and with each other.
New Agreements for Accessible and Affordable Care
The agreements in this new agreement are an addition to the agreements from the Integral Care Agreement that was signed in 2022. Just like the Integral Care Agreement (IZA), the Supplementary Care and Welfare Agreement (AZWA) aims to ensure that care in the Netherlands remains accessible and affordable. Regardless of where you live, whether you have a small or large wallet, what condition you have, or what your age is. With new agreements, the course set out in the Integral Care Agreement (IZA) must be accelerated, broadened, and deepened.
To ensure that everyone has equal access to care, care must be organized more intelligently. We do this, for example, by improving information about waiting times. Patients, doctors, and insurers will have a better picture of waiting times. When someone ends up on a long waiting list, insurers can help find a caregiver with a shorter waiting time.
Collaboration with the Social Domain
An important part of the Supplementary Care and Welfare Agreement (AZWA) is a stronger collaboration between the medical and social domains. This is to prevent people from needing care. Care providers, municipalities, and insurers make agreements in the region about this. These agreements cover topics such as growing up successfully, a healthy lifestyle, and aging healthily. There will also be extra funding to ensure that people can be helped in their own neighborhood and region. Where general practitioners and neighborhood teams can work closely together. Supporting citizen initiatives and a healthy school environment are also part of this.