Legislation

The purpose of the Healthcare Professionals Act (Wet BIG) is to promote and monitor quality in health care. The Act also protects patients from careless or incompetent treatment by a healthcare professional. The BIG register is one of the tools for implementing the Healthcare Professionals Act.

The BIG Act (in Dutch: ‘Wet op de beroepen in de individuele gezondheidszorg’; Individual Healthcare Professions Act) is generally known by its Dutch acronym ‘BIG’. It classifies healthcare professions in 3 groups, that refer to the sections 3, 34 and 36a of the Act. Only the section 3 professions are listed in the BIG register and fall under disciplinary rule.

Article 3 professions

Article 3 professions:

have a legally protected professional title;
are listed in the BIG-register;
are subject to disciplinary rules.

Overview article 3 professions:

clinical technologist
dentist
doctor
health psychologist
midwife
nurse
pharmacist
physiotherapist
psychotherapist
physician assistant
remedial educationalist

Article 34 professions

Article 34 professions:

have a legally protected academic title;
cannot register in the BIG-register;
are not subject to disciplinary rules.

Overview of article 34 professions:

dental hygienist
dental technician
diagnostic radiographer
dietician
ergotherapist
medical physicist
nursing assistant/nurse in individual healthcare (VIG)
optometrist
orthoptist
pharmaceutical assistant
podiatrist
remedial therapist
skin therapist
speech therapist
therapeutic radiographer.

Article 36a professions

Article 36a professions:

have a legally protected academic title;
can temporary register in the BIG-register;
are subject to disciplinary rules (restricted conditions);
may perform reserved procedures;
have temporary functional autonomy.

Overview article 36a professions:

registered dental hygienist

Article 14 specialisms

These are the legally recognized specialisms, such as specialist nurse and clinical psychologist.