Linking Occupational and Primary Health Care: the Dutch Case
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During the 80s and 90s The Netherlands were often called ‘The sick man of Europe’, because of the high percentages of sickness absence and work incapacity (almost 1 million for a workforce of 6 million). Therefore, during the last two decades many legal and organizational reforms were undertaken regarding social security, occupational health and the general health systems. The Working Conditions (ARBO) Act from 1981 focused on prevention. The 1994 reform introduced the obligation for employers to take care of their employees during sick leave. They were required to contract an occupational health service (OHS). Within some years coverage rose from about 40% to more than 90%. Occupational health services are general, regional, sector or company oriented and provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary occupational health care, including primary prevention (advising employers about working conditions), helping employers manage sickness absence and offering support to employees on sick leave to return to work. 1994 also changed the OHS from exclusively not-for-profit establishments to a mixed system of profit-oriented and not-for-profit services. In 2005 the Arbo Act was liberalized, giving employers more choice and making some services voluntary or subject to agreement between social partners. This slightly diminished OHS coverage.
Topics
TNO Identifier
873337
Source title
Integration of workers’ health in strategies for primary health care, WHO Global Intercountry Consultation 4–7 May 2009, Santiago, Chile
Collation
45 p.
Files
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