Open Vld and Groen refuse to provide bilingual services in Brussels hospitals

The provision of services in the Dutch language has not been guaranteed in Brussels hospitals for decades, except for the UZ Brussels. By means of a resolution, the N-VA wants to legally enforce this bilingualism in public hospitals, recognised emergency services and medical emergency groups. The other parties unanimously rejected the resolution, with Open Vld and Groen also voting against it. Brussels MP Gilles Verstraeten has had enough of this: “The fact that I always hear the same excuses from French speakers to do nothing is one thing. The fact that the other Flemish parties in Brussels are increasingly adopting these warped arguments is another thing. Meanwhile, it continues to be ‘pour les flamands la même chose’ (it’s the same for the Flemish).”

Life-threatening situations

Dutch speakers can only count on care in their own language at UZ Brussel in Jette. In the other Brussels hospitals, the knowledge of Dutch among healthcare staff is often dire. The provision of services in the five public hospitals, the emergency services and the medical emergency groups must be bilingual by law, but in practice, this is the exception rather than the rule. Verstraeten: “This issue already existed before I was born and leads to life-threatening situations to this day. We know that misdiagnoses are made because the doctor does not understand the Dutch-speaking patient properly. The result is that Dutch-speaking Brussels residents seek care in Vilvoorde, Leuven or even further afield. Some Dutch speakers even move away from Brussels because they cannot get care in their own language.”

Overarching policy

“There is clearly an increasing demand for overarching policies, and that is why we think it is necessary for the Common Community Commission to address that demand. There must also be more active intervention in certain hospitals, such as Erasmus Hospital, which is responsible for emergencies and medical emergency calls in a number of peripheral Flemish municipalities, but does not seem to make any effort whatsoever towards legal bilingualism.”

Going to the hospital in fear

By means of a resolution, the N-VA is requesting a master plan to guarantee the provision of services in both languages in Brussels hospitals and to include the Dutch Language House (Huis van het Nederlands) as a permanent partner in developing language policy in Brussels hospitals. The N-VA’s resolution was voted down by all the other parties. The Dutch-speaking majority parties, Open Vld and Groen, also voted against it. “Incomprehensible”, Gilles Verstraeten says. “It is also still embarrassing that Dutch-speaking Health Minister Van den Brandt is not concerned with healthcare and also shows no interest whatsoever in this issue. In the meantime, many tens of thousands of Dutch-speaking Brussels residents have to go to a Brussels hospital in fear and just hope that someone speaks Dutch. Or they just go to a hospital in Flanders out of misery.”