Annabel Tavernier insists on knowledge of Dutch in emergency services in Brussels

No less than 71% of the complaints submitted by citizens to the Vlaams Meldpunt Taalklachten about the inadequate provision of services in the Dutch language in Brussels hospitals since 2015 were related to the Brussels emergency services or mobile emergency teams. “Unlawful, discriminatory and life-threatening,” Flemish MP Annabel Tavernier says.

Citizens can submit complaints about the lack of Dutch language services in Brussels hospitals or the emergency services to the Vlaams Meldpunt Taalklachten in Brussels hospitals. The Flemish Government set up this online hotline in 2011 as part of the Agency for Care and Health to better understand the language problems in the Brussels healthcare system.

All Brussels emergency services must be able to offer services in both languages

The figures on the number of complaints received by the Vlaams Meldpunt Taalklachten in Brussels hospitals since 2015 show that the services provided in the Dutch language by the Brussels emergency services and mobile emergency teams in particular leave a lot to be desired. No less than 71% of the complaints were related to these services. Nevertheless, all Brussels emergency services and mobile emergency teams, regardless of whether they are of public, private or university hospitals, must be able to offer bilingual service in Dutch and French. The Saint-Luc University Hospital in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht in particular often appear in the figures as the poorest performers. These two hospitals provide their emergency services to a great many Flemish patients from the Flemish periphery of Brussels, in addition to Brussels residents.

Annabel Tavernier: “Serious violations of language legislation that can lead to life-threatening misunderstandings”

Flemish MP Annabel Tavernier, who recently raised the issue in the Flemish Parliament, comments on the figures. “The fact that Flemish people cannot count on receiving care in their own national language in a situation of acute medical emergency is particularly serious. This is a serious violation of the language legislation; it is enormously discriminatory against the Flemish people and it can also lead to life-threatening misunderstandings. I am calling on the competent COCOM commissioner Elke Van den Brandt to make a priority of guaranteeing services in both languages in the Brussels emergency services, which is a matter of life and death. The Flemish Minister for Brussels Dalle must also dare to put these things in order.”

The official figure is only a tiny fraction of the actual number of violations

Moreover, Annabel Tavernier fears that the figures are a gross underestimate of the actual problem. “An average of six complaints per year are reported to the Vlaams Meldpunt. Anyone who comes into contact with Brussels healthcare services knows that this figure is only a tiny fraction of the actual number of violations.” That is why Annabel Tavernier is calling for the benefit of clarity. The reports to the Vlaams Meldpunt Taalklachten are always passed on to the Steunpunt Taalwetwijzer, which provides citizens with further assistance and information. An unnecessary intermediate step, according to Tavernier. “All those different authorities lead to needless confusion. That is why I am arguing in favour of the competent Flemish ministers, Beke and Dalle, joining forces. A promotional campaign by the Steunpunt Taalwetwijzer is currently underway. If we really want to make the Steunpunt Taalwetwijzer known, then this must be the only point of contact for specific language questions, especially for Brussels residents.”