Complaints procedure

Dutch Acupuncture Association (NVA), in accordance with
the Care Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wkkgz)

Your acupuncturist is a member of the NVA. That means you can rely on his/her expertise and quality.
However, in any treatment relationship a problem can arise, for example about communication, treatment, a bill, the treatment or the result thereof. Unfortunately, in health care serious complaints occur too. For example injury, intimidation, unwanted actions, invasion of your privacy or other matters, which do not feel right to you. Do not keep this to yourself but report it!

Complaints
According to the Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wkkgz), a healthcare provider is the
first designated person to make an effort to resolve a conflict with a patient/client.
There is a legal term of maximum of 6 weeks for this, which can be extended by 4 weeks.
It is best if therapist and complainant together resolve the problem that has arisen.

You don’t know how to handle it
If you cannot find a solution together or if communication is no longer possible, the complaints officer can
be contacted.

Complaints Officer
The Complaints Officer can help you formulate your complaint and will try to work with you and the healthcare provider to come to a solution that is acceptable and satisfactory to both of you. If you don’t know how to handle it or if you can’t figure it out with your acupuncturist you can contact the complaints officer, directly by email or through the secretariat of the NVA. The contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Stichting Zorggeschil – (“Healthcare Dispute Foundation”)
Is it not possible to resolve your dispute with the therapist concerned with the help of the complaints officer, the complaints officer will refer you to the Healthcare Dispute Foundation.
Your complaint will be handled carefully and confidentially at this independent body under the presidency of a lawyer.
Before your complaint is processed, you pay a one-off €50 to Zorggeschil. If your complaint is judged to be legitimate, the healthcare provider may, among other things, be ordered to pay you repayment of this complaint fee. On the other hand, as a complainant you can be ordered to pay a contribution of a maximum of €500 towards the costs of the procedure. Healthcare Dispute Foundation can award you personal injury compensation of max. €25,000. See also www.zorggeschil.nl. If you are not satisfied with the verdict, you can submit a request for annulment to the Subdistrict Court.

Contact
The NVA has 2 complaints officers; you can email one directly:
complaintsofficer-nva@nvacomplaints.nl
complaintsofficer2-nva@nvacomplaints.nl

The NVA secretariat:
Phone: 033 4616141
Mon to Fri 9-12 o’clock
van Persijnstraat 17
3811 LS Amersfoort
nva@acupunctuur.nl
www.acupunctuur.nl
Chamber of Commerce 40531133

version January 2022