Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-22dnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T18:48:31.253Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The New Dutch Law on Medical Services

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2009

Ewoud Hondius  and
Annet van Hooft
Get access

Extract

Dutch health care occasionally comes under close international scrutiny. The interest usually centres on euthanasia and assisted suicide in the Netherlands. A development of perhaps more lasting importance, however, has so far virtually escaped attention elsewhere. It is the incorporation of a bill on patients' rights into the Dutch Civil Code. This article focuses on the new Dutch Act on Medical Services, which came into force on April 1, 1995. As a point of reference, English medical law will be referred to.

Type
Research Article
Information
Netherlands International Law Review , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , May 1996 , pp. 1 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © T.M.C. Asser Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Markenstein, L.F., ‘The Codification in the Netherlands of the Principal Rights of Patients: A Critical Review’, 2 Eur. J. Health L. (1995) pp. 33–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

2. Dillmann, R.J.M. and Legemaate, J., ‘Euthanasia in the Netherlands: The State of Legal Debate’, 1 Eur. J. Health L. (1994) pp. 81–87CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed.

3. Griffith, J., ‘Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands: The Chabot Case’, (1995) 58 MLR pp. 232–248CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

4. See on this issue Allen, P., ‘Contracts in the National Health Service Internal Marker’, 58 MLR (1995) pp. 321–342CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

5. Court of Appeal of 's-Hertogenbosch 2 July 1990, Nederlandse Jurisprudentie 1990, 809Google Scholar.

6. For instance Court of Appeal of The Hague 7 March 1991, Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidsrecht 1991, 394Google Scholar.

7. Hills v. Potter, [1984] 1 WLR 641Google Scholar. See also Sidaway v. Board of Governors of Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital, [1985] AC 87Google Scholar, [1985] 1 All ER 643, [1985] 2 WLR 480. McLean, S.A.M., ‘Litigating Disputes in Consent to Medical Treatment: The United Kingdom Position’Google Scholar, in McLean, S.A.M., ed., Compensation for Damage/An International Perspective (1993) p. 35Google Scholar, at p. 42 sees some openings in this case for a development towards informed consent.

8. For the Netherlands see Leenen, H.J.J., Handboek Gezondheidsrecht, Rechten van mensen indegezondheidszorg (1988) pp. 178–181Google Scholar. Gevers, J.K.M., ‘De onbekwame meerderjarige patiënt’, Nederlands tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (1987) p. 2094 (contra)Google Scholar and van Veen, E-B, ‘Plaats vooreen onbenoemde wettelijk vertegenwoordiger van onbekwame patiënten?’, Tijdschrift voor Familie en Jeugdrecht (1993) pp. 6–10 (pro)Google Scholar. See for the United Kingdom: P.D.G. Skegg, Law, Ethics and Medicine, Studies in Medical Law (1984) pp. 72, 73Google Scholar.

9. Sutorius, E. Ph. R. and Jansen, D. J., ‘De juridische status van het levenstestament’, Ars Aequi (1991) p. 994Google Scholar.

10. With regard to the problematic aspects of the appointment of a proxy in health care matters under English law, see: Working Party Report, The Living Will, Consent to Treatment at the End of Life (1988) pp. 48–49Google Scholar.

11. Leenen, H.J.J., ‘Incompetente meerderjarigen, vertegenwoordiging van de patiënt’, Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidsrecht (1988) p. 229Google Scholar. Gevers, J.K.M., ‘De onbekwame meerderjarige patiënt’, Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (1987) p. 2095Google Scholar.

12. Hoge Raad 9 November 1990, Nederlandse Jurisprudent 1991, 26Google Scholar.

13. Bolam v. Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957] 1 WLR 582 determined that a surgeon must exercise such care as accords with the standards of reasonably competent medical men at the time. This was further developed and extended in Stokes v. Guest, Keen andNettlefold (Bolts and Nuts) Ltd., [1968] 1 WLR 1776 in that if the surgeon has greater than average knowledge of any risks, he may be obliged to take more than average precautions.

14. As to the legal nature of the model contract see Stolker, C.J.J.M., ‘De nieuwe Wet geneeskundige behandelingsovereenkomst en het juridisch belang van de Modelregeling arts-patiënt’, Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Burgerlijk Recht (1994) pp. 115–119Google Scholar.

15. Timmer v. Deutman, Hoge Raad 20 November 1987, Nederlandse Jurisprudentie 1988, 500Google Scholar.

16. Schepersv. De Bruijn, HogeRaad 18 February 1994Google Scholar, Rechtspraak van de Week 1994, 60Google Scholar.

17. Timmer v. Deutman, Hoge Raad, 20 November 1987, n. 15 supraGoogle Scholar.

18. Schepers v. De Bruijn, Hoge Raad, 18 February 1994, n. 16 supraGoogle Scholar.

19. Kastelein, W.R., Van klagen naar klachtrecht/Het klachtrecht van de patiënt in de gezondheidszorg (1992)Google Scholar.

20. See Brazier, M., ‘The Case for a NO-Fault Compensation Scheme for Medical Accidents’Google Scholar, in McLean, S. A. M., ed., Compensation for DamageI An International Perspective (1993) pp.51–74 (pro)Google Scholar and McLean, S.A.M., ‘Can No-Fault Analysis Ease the Problems of Medical Injury Litigation?’, in the same volume, pp. 75–90Google Scholar, as well as Jones, M.A., Medical Negligence (1991) pp. 6–9 (contra)Google Scholar.

21. de Mol, B.A.J.M., Medisch letsel in het ziekenhuis no-faultverzekering/Een verkennende studie (1988)Google Scholar.

22. Stolker, C.J.J.M., Vanartsnaaradvocaat/AansprakelijkheidvoormedischefouteninAmerika, Een les voor Nederland? (1989)Google Scholar.

23. Art. 7:464 of the Civil Code shall enter into force with effect from the first calendar month after a period of five years following the date referred to in paragraph one.

24. The mentor is a natural person, appointed by a judge, who represents the person who has reached the age of majority but cannot be considered capable to valuate his non-material interests because of a mental of physical deficiency.