Zorginspectie (Flemish Care Inspectorate)

Zorginspectie is an independent service within the Department of Care that monitors the quality of care and the spending of public funds in health, wellbeing, and family facilities in Flanders. The Department of Care is part of the Wellbeing, Public Health and Family policy area (ministry).
In order to perform its duties, Zorginspectie must be fully independent, impartial and objective. Zorginspectie is not responsible for making decisions concerning recognition, permits, or subsidies.

Zorginspectie’s inspection remit consists of three parts:

• Monitoring and promoting the quality of care and services in health, wellbeing and family services.
• Verifying the use of personal budgets and assistive devices by people with disabilities.
• Monitoring the financial health and spending of public funds

After each inspection, Zorginspectie provides a report to the relevant departments of the Flemish authorities responsible for the recognition, permits, and funding of the facility or person.
 

• Establishments that have been granted recognition, permits, and/or subsidies within the Wellbeing, Public Health, and Family policy area. These include childminders, residential care homes, (psychiatric) hospitals, youth institutions, facilities for people with disabilities, etc. Zorginspectie tailors its inspections to the specific type of facility.
• Individuals with disabilities who utilise a personal assistance budget (PAB), a personal budget (PVB), or assistive devices (individual material assistance - IMB).
• Organising bodies responsible for the operation of a care facility (financial inspections).
   

Inspection of care facilities

Zorginspectie checks whether the quality of care in facilities meets the standards expected by legislation and agreements. Inspections take place both announced and unannounced.

Zorginspectie does not have the authority to assess (the quality of) individual medical and therapeutic interventions. The primary focus of Zorginspectie is the organisation of care provision and the measures implemented by the facility and its staff to optimise the quality of care and the safety of individuals receiving care.
Financial inspection of organising bodies 
During financial inspections, Zorginspectie assesses the financial health of the organisation running the care facility, checks whether the financial reporting and accountancy comply with the financial regulations imposed by the Wellbeing, Public Health, and Family policy area, and assesses the efficient use of subsidies. Those inspections are almost always announced.

Inspection of budgets and assistive devices for individuals

Zorginspectie focuses on whether the use of the personal budget and assistive devices complies with the applicable regulations and guidelines a user must adhere to, and/or whether certain conditions that can contribute to quality of life have been met. These inspections are almost always conducted by prior arrangement at the home of the individual and/or the administrator.
 

Inspection findings

Each inspection by Zorginspectie provides a snapshot of the situation at a specific point in time. The inspectors may draw their conclusions from a range of sources and methodologies:

• observations
• inspection of documents
• interviews with care users and/or family members
• interviews with employees and/or managers

Inspectors employ standardised inspection tools to ensure consistency in the conduct of inspections and to facilitate comparability. During the inspection visit, the inspector always discusses the findings with the people they are speaking to. This gives them an opportunity to explain or add nuance to the inspection findings.

Draft report

Following an inspection visit, the inspected party receives the draft report containing the inspection findings. The inspected party has 14 calendar days to respond in writing to any inaccuracies in the inspection report (e.g., factual errors, unclear descriptions of findings, incorrect contact details).

The inspection report only becomes final after the inspected party has had the opportunity to respond to any inaccuracies. The inspector reviews the response and decides whether to amend the draft report or not.

Final report

After each inspection, Zorginspectie provides the final inspection report to the relevant authority within the Wellbeing, Public Health, and Family policy area. This entity follows up on the findings from the inspection report and decides on further recognition, authorisation or award of subsidies. This division between inspection and decision-making is called ‘functiescheiding’ (division of functions). 
As a citizen, you are entitled to view or request the inspection report concerning establishments such as hospitals, childcare facilities, and residential care centres from Zorginspectie. For privacy reasons, inspection reports concerning individuals with personal budgets or assistive devices are not public and cannot be accessed.

Inspections sometimes reveal deficiencies, gaps, and/or flaws in regulations. This monitoring role of Zorginspectie enables the relevant bodies within the Wellbeing, Public Health, and Family policy area to take action for improvement.