More than a million people use the Social Support Act, which makes it possible for, for example, the elderly or people with disabilities to live independently for longer. The ombudsman held talks with citizens who apply for care facilities under the Act. He notes that citizens are satisfied with the facilities they receive, but that there is much room for improvement in the application process.
He calls the application process unclear and slow. The personal conversation that a municipal employee has with the applicant – the so-called kitchen table discussion – is often about standard packages and budgets of the municipality, rather than the concerns and needs of the applicant. Van Zutphen calls that a missed opportunity. He also thinks it is unnecessary for citizens to have to defend themselves again and again for their Wmo provisions while they are already receiving that care. This leads to impotence, sadness and distrust.
Standard packages
The ombudsman calls the kitchen table discussion ‘the perfect opportunity for municipalities to really listen to citizens, talk to them about what they need, what they can do themselves and where they still need support. In this way, citizens feel they are being helped the best and as a municipality you strengthen the relationship and trust. As things are now, things are being arranged, but people are getting frustrated and disappointed by the process. That is not necessary at all. Municipalities can and must do something about this.’
Van Zutphen advises municipalities to listen more closely to citizens and to be flexible and creative in allocating Wmo provisions if standard packages are not a solution. In many municipalities there is a so-called Social Domain Advisory Council, which can advise on laws in the social domain such as the Wmo. Municipalities should make more use of these advisory councils, because they provide insight into the perspective of citizens, according to the ombudsman.