The first incident was reported in April. A female TBS patient from the Oostvaarderskliniek in Almere said she was a victim of sexually inappropriate behavior by a therapist. An investigation followed and the employee was fired at the beginning of September. In the same month – incident two – the clinic suspended a supervisor for transgressive behavior towards several employees. Then she – incident three – fired another employee because of a sexual relationship with a TBS patient and – incident four – she stopped an intern’s internship for the same reason. There are other indications of transgressive behaviour, but they are still under investigation.
So many incidents in such a short time: are they still called ‘incidents’ or is there a structural problem? The Ministry of Justice and Security is faced with this question now that things have gone so wrong in its own clinic – the Oostvaarders, together with Veldzicht, are the only TBS institution that falls directly under the authority of the Ministry.
After the incidents last week in the media came out sent minister for legal protection Franc Weerwind (D66) a letter to the House of Representatives in which he noted that there is currently an insufficiently safe living and working climate for both patients and employees in the Oostvaarderskliniek. Weerwind ordered an internal investigation led by an external chairman and asked the clinic to draw up an improvement plan.
In the meantime, the director, Hendrik Jan van der Lugt, has also stopped. “For personal reasons,” according to the clinic. “And because of the limited capacity for the change tasks that lie ahead.”
culture of fear
And those challenges have been there for years. In 2019, practitioners in NRC that there was a culture of fear and an unsafe working climate in the clinic. Some felt excluded, bullied, but they did not dare to speak out to managers because of the internal, closed corporate culture.
A year later the Justice and Security Inspectorate noted following an incident in which a patient on probation killed a former fellow patient that the clinic lacked “forensic acuity.” It was the result of insufficient internal communication and management and a lack of personnel. Partly due to an overrun of experienced staff and a general shortage on the labor market, relatively many young, inexperienced staff worked in the clinic and the turnover was high. The Oostvaarderskliniek also drew up an improvement plan at the time.
It remains to be seen in what light the latest incidents should be viewed. Former director Hendrik Jan van der Lugt could not be reached for comment, but Marije Stockel, member of the management of the Oostvaarderskliniek, could. She explains in the presence of two spokespersons – one from the clinic and one from the ministry.
Incidents or a structural problem?
Marije Stockel: „It is difficult to point to one cause. That is why we are embracing the external fresh perspective that the minister is now offering us. The new research is precisely the look needed to guide us in the process of coming up with a decisive answer.”
But what do you see as the cause?
“We are currently dealing with a labor market challenge, an increasingly complex target group, the consequences of corona, waiting lists in the TBS. External influences cannot be ruled out as the cause of this situation. But I can’t pinpoint it now. This requires research and an interim director with a fresh perspective to guide us in the culture change that is needed.”
What do you think is wrong with the culture?
“You can see that a lot has come up in a short period of time. The tipping point came in the spring, when employees saw the clinic act decisively against the therapist who was first reported in April. This also created space for other employees to report incidents and we applaud that. It contributes to a safe living environment and we must now maintain that.”
Apparently that living environment was not experienced as safe before that.
“I know the signals from 2019, but we must now focus on the future.”
What has changed in the clinic since then?
“We have invested enormously in forensic acuity, transparency, expertise promotion, intervision, monitoring and supporting solutions. And when it comes to attracting more staff: there is a Task Force Forensic Care that we can make use of. We have been able to fill a large part of the vacancies, especially in the last few months.”
Is it also possible to retain staff?
“The course changes from time to time. Retaining people is about what individual employees need, what it takes to train them and keep them competent. Binding and captivating: we are fully committed to that.”
That’s the theory. But what is the practice? Are employees satisfied?
“You can imagine that the current situation has a huge impact on the clinic. You see an enormous drive in employees to do the work, but it is unpleasant to see your employer in the news in this way, and it is annoying to see that these incidents have played out in your own clinic.”
How does something like this actually develop, a relationship between patient and therapist?
“It is not inconceivable that feelings for others arise in a closed setting. But it is undesirable, unacceptable. It puts pressure on the treatment relationship. Employees should feel they can talk to us, preferably before the point of an unacceptable situation is reached. That is precisely why a safe working climate is important.”
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