Hundreds of local authorities are still paying less than the cost price to buy in home nursing services for the elderly or infirm still living at home, according to the FNV trade union federation.

The FNV says only one council – Eindhoven – is prepared to pay €24.50 an hour for home nursing services. One in seven will pay €22 an hour, the proper cost two years ago.
Some 70% of companies offering home nursing services are making a loss because local councils will not pay the proper cost of care, according to research by home help umbrella group Actiz published last year.
Since 2007, home nursing companies have become commercial operations which have to compete for local authority contracts. Before that, home helps and nursing services were paid for out of the AWBZ long-term care health fund.
Many workers are no longer employed on permanent contracts but work on a freelance basis, without sick pay or pension cover.