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Disciplinary rules

Under the Healthcare Professionals Act, disciplinary measures may be imposed on healthcare professionals. Such a measure will have consequences for the registration of the healthcare professional. It can restrict them in practising their profession. Repercussions depend on what the court order or disciplinary measure prescribes.

Procedure

What happens when the BIG-register receives notice of a court order or disciplinary measure? The BIG-register will then inform the person concerned of the consequences for their registration and entitlement to practise as a healthcare professional.

When the decision is final, the BIG register will publish the measure on www.bigregister.nl, in the Government Gazette (Staatscourant) and in one or more daily or weekly publications in the region where the healthcare professional is practising. The healthcare professional will also be added to the list of disciplinary measures healthcare professionals (in Dutch).

The BIG register also communicates the information to:

  • the Health Care Inspectorate (IGZ);
  • a healthcare disciplinary board (where applicable);
  • any specialist registration committees;
  • competent authorities abroad, when it concerns an order imposing limitations (‘beroepsverbod’ or ’beroepsbeperking’). With an order imposing limitations, the BIG-register also always informs Vektis.

European alert system: sharing imposed limitations within EU member states

From January 18 2016, European legislation requires that EU member states exchange all imposed limitations. This means that all measures of imposed limitations within the BIG-register are shared via a European electronic system with other countries, and vice versa. The measure remains in this system as long as the imposed limitation is in force.

Healthcare professionals that have an order of imposed limitations will receive notice that this measure will be shared with EU member states.

False diplomas

EU member states also are required as of January 2016 to pass criminal convictions about fake diplomas to the European electronic system.