Two mental-health care institutions cleared to join forces under strict conditions

Two Rotterdam-based mental-health care institutions, Parnassia Groep and Stichting Antes, are allowed to join forces once several clinics, treatment centers, and patients have been transferred to a competitor, GGZ Delfland. According to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), this link-up would create a near-monopoly for mental-health care in the greater Rotterdam area. That is why several divisions need to be hived off. In that way, patients and health insurers will continue to be able to choose between different mental-health care institutions.

Chairman of the Board of ACM, Chris Fonteijn, explains: “To ACM, it is important that a real alternative to Parnassia/Antes continues to be active in the region. That is why we have set this condition of transferring all of these clinics, treatments centers and patients to GGZ Delfland.”

GGZ Delfland will acquire one clinic in the town of Berkel-Rodenrijs, two clinics in Rotterdam, and one treatment center in the town of Spijkenisse. Apart from these clinics, GGZ Delfland will also take over patients. In addition, GGZ Delfland will also treat patients whose treatments have been court-ordered. As patient safety comes first, an independent expert will oversee the proper completion of this transition, and whether it takes place on a voluntary basis.

Furthermore, Parnassia Groep/Antes will have to meet the provisions laid down in the Administrative agreement for mental health care (in Dutch: Bestuurlijk akkoord geestelijke gezondheidszorg). This means that Parnassia Groep/Antes still needs to reduce its number of ‘beds’ substantially over the next two years.

Extensive investigation

In this case, ACM carried out an extensive investigation. Part of the mental-health care in the Netherlands is also a public task, for example involuntary commitments to psychiatric hospitals. ACM has found that such treatments do not constitute an actual market. For other treatments, ACM wishes that patients and health insurers do continue to have a choice.

Many stakeholders in the greater Rotterdam area have been consulted: GPs, health insurers, the municipality of Rotterdam, the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, and other mental-health care institutions all have submitted their opinions on the link-up between Parnassia Groep and Antes. Health insurers largely are in favor of it as well as of the conditions that ACM has set. When negotiating with Parnassia Groep/Antes about the price and quality of health care, they will have a serious alternative in the region, which is an enlarged GGZ Delfland.

Mental-health care

In the greater Rotterdam area, approximately 23,000 people receive mental-health care. Parnassia Groep and Antes treat patients with mental-health problems in the greater Rotterdam area. This may include individuals suffering from a psychotic disorder who need to be committed and treated by a psychiatrist, but also individuals seeking temporary help who have sessions with a psychologist, for example.