Buurtzorg – a care model with a future?

Jos de Blok is often seen as somewhat of a revolutionary, the Steve Jobs of domiciliary care. The Dutchman trained as a nurse and later went into nursing management. He loves his work and the time he was able to spend with the elderly. However, as the years passed, the world of care underwent changes, resulting in more and more bureaucracy, horrendous cost increases – and a deterioration in quality which was simply unacceptable to him. To sit next to an old lady, take hold of her hand and to talk to her for a brief moment: all that was no longer possible. And that is what awakened the revolutionary in him: de Blok separated bureaucracy and care and squarely placed the focus once again on the individual.

He instigated the Buurtzorg service. It stands, in short, for 'neighbourly help'. The teams, each comprising around 10 staff members, are self-organising and driven by personal responsibility. They manage budgets, organise their own tours, and deploy colleagues. 

At its core, Buurtzorg consists of lots of networking. In other words: Care workers, doctors, therapeutic staff and family members are all in contact with each other via the 'Buurtzorg-Web' digital platform. This makes requirements in the care and support of individuals transparent for all. And the Buurtzorg team has also resulted in key changes: Health insurance schemes are now billed on an hourly basis. This means that each activity is valued at the same rate. Dusting or making a bed was not previously included in the rather conservative cost structures in the Netherlands. These activities were the job of housekeeping, not those of skilled care workers. This resulted in a financial shortfall in the case of services which were not covered. Since the 'Neighbourly Help' programme was founded in 2007, each care worker or each team can decide for themselves what persons in care need to promote their independence, for instance in putting on socks.

The quality of domiciliary care rises in keeping with the satisfaction of patients and care staff (Buurtzorg was awarded best employer status in the Netherlands several times over). '... Every Buurtzorg care worker saves 2 hours of working time compared with the care of patients by conventional care services', Jos de Blok maintains. It is also a win-win situation for health insurance companies. Buurtzorg now employs more than 15,000 staff members. Cooperations exist with 25 countries. And Buurtzorg has also arrived in Germany. But many care teams are still only trialling the neighbourly help system. Given its success, the Buurtzorg model could possibly be the big alternative for care in future.

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