At least 10 of the country’s 85 hospitals are technically bankrupt and are considering legal action against the health ministry, the Parool reports on Friday.

The paper says the hospitals are being denied bank loans to pay off current refurbishment projects and new building has been halted.
The financial difficulties follow the withdrawal of government support for hospitals which have been ordered to embark on expensive renovation projects.
Hospital accountants are now refusing to approve their 2009 books, and without signed-off accounts, the hospitals cannot get bank loans to complete the work.
Roelf de Boer, chairman of the Dutch hospitals’ association NVZ says the projects which have been put on ice could have generated hundreds of jobs. The NVZ is now considering legal action against health minister Ab Klink, the paper says