Information for clients about psychologists, consults and compensation

When do I need a psychologist?
Psychologists are trained and educated to help or advise people with psychological problems and complaints. It could concern specific problems, but the complaints can also be less clear. For example depressive feelings, life course problems, problems at work, relationship - or education problems. But also unspecified fears, fatigue, insomnia or hyperventilation. A consultation at a psychologist usually lasts 45 minutes. The information gained from clients will always be treated confidentially.

How do I find a psychologist?
When you are looking for a psychologist, the NIP, the professional association of psychologists, recommends you to visit your general practitioner first. Usually your GP can refer you. A reference is important in order to get your psychological help reimbursed by your insurance company. Another advantage is that the general practitioner can refer you to a care worker with whom they have good experiences.

Which care is compensated?
The Dutch care insurance act stipulates that the first eight meetings considering ‘eerstelijnspsychologische zorg’ (first line psychological care) are compensated when you have a standard insurance. On top of that clients have to make a contribution towards the costs that amounts to € 10, - per meeting. With an additional insurance you might be able to regain (a part of) this contribution. There are care insurers who compensate more meetings of ‘eerstelijnspsychologische zorg’ by means of an additional insurance. It is also possible that in additional insurance packages other forms of psychological aid or specific psychologists are being compensated.
The health insurer stipulates the requirements which the psychologist must meet. That is in any case a registration such as health care psychologist (gzpsycholoog) in the BIG register of the government. Psychologists with a registration Eerstelijnspsycholoog NIP and most of the psychologists with the registration Kinder- en Jeugdpsycholoog NIP also meet with this requirement.
When a psychologist has a contract with your health insurance, bills from your psychologist will be claimed from and sent directly to your insurance company.
When your psychologist has no contract with a health insurance you have to claim the bill yourself and you’ll only get a partial reimbursement. It is noteworthy that psychologists without a contract are also obliged to meet the compulsory standards and registrations.
The policy of your health insurance will state what conditions your psychologist must meet to have the treatment considered for compensation. We advise you to get yourself well informed about the possibilities of compensation before you start with the treatment from a psychologist.
For treatment of more severe complaints that require long-term treatment, no legal maximum has been set to the amount of sessions.  The conditions concerning reimbursements of this so called ‘tweedelijnspsychologische zorg’ (second line psychological care) are different and depend on the nature of the treatment and illness.

What can I expect from a NIP-psychologist?
One of the objectives of the NIP, the professional association of psychologists, is monitoring the quality of psychological care. The NIP strives to the best possible standards by ensuring that their members are well equipped professionals that are sufficiently trained, even after they graduate from university. More than 13,000 psychologists are a member of the NIP.

The NIP code of ethics
Psychologists who are a member of the NIP must abide the NIP code of ethics. The basic principles of the code are integrity, respect, competency and responsibility. Check out Professional Development and Ethics
There are certain issues from the code which are important for you as a client:
• The psychologist must discuss the financial costs with the client in the first session.
• A client visits a psychologist on voluntary basis.
• The psychologist must respect the professional secrecy and has to treat the problems of the client strictly confidential.
• The client has the right to examine the file or report, to ask for a copy of the file or report and also has the right to destroy the file or report.

Complaints regulation
A psychologist who does not stick to the professional NIP code of ethics, can be brought to justice. The client can lodge a complaint at the Board of Supervision of the NIP. This board is an independent body that deals with the complaints against members of the NIP. When you have a complaint concerning professional behaviour of a psychologist, see also: Disciplinary Rules and Complaints

How does a psychologist work?
First, the psychologist gives you the opportunity to present your questions or complaints. You list the complaints in collaboration with the psychologist. After one or more sessions the psychologist will  discusses which form of support or treatment is most suitable for you. For this purpose the psychologist can also use psychological tests or questionnaires.
The first session is called an ‘intake’ and is meant to see weather you feel comfortable with the psychologist and if he or she can be of any help to you.  The intake generally costs the same as the following session. If your problem can be dealt with in a limited number of sessions, the treatment will focus on removing the complaint(s). This is called eerstelijnspsychologische zorg. It is also possible that a longer, more persistent therapy (second line care) is recommended. In that case the emphasis will lie on getting a better insight on the motivation and drives of ones behaviour.

Which type of psychologist can help me with my problem?
After finishing university, psychologists must train and develop themselves further with postmaster and practical training. These psychologists obtain qualifications and registrations established by the NIP or by the government.
See: NIP and BIG Registrations

Psychologist in the First Line Healthcare
The following psychologists can offer primary health care:

• General Health care psychologist (BIG)
The health care psychologist BIG (gz-psycholoog) is the basic expert in the field of mental deficits and problems. These can be `common' mental problems, such as nurture or relation problems, problems at the work, problems of family care or problems which are related to physical sicknesses or handicaps, but also serious mental deficits.

• NIP Primary health care psychologist
NIP Primary health care psychologists are health care psychologists who are specifically trained to help people with several types of problems. In some cases the primary health care psychologist refers to another form of care, such as a mental health care institute (ggz-instelling) or an independent, self employed psychotherapist.
• NIP Child and Adolescent Psychologist
NIP Child and Adolescent Psychologists are psychologists who are specifically trained to work with children and adolescents. They have their own professional responsibility and are able to diagnose and treat independently.

Second line Healthcare
The primary health care psychologist (BIG) and the NIP Child and Adolescent psychologist are able to work in the primary health care as well as in the second line health care.
The following psychologists are experts in the second line health care:

• Psychotherapist BIG
The profession of psychotherapist is monitored by the government and regulated through the  BIG-registration. The psychotherapist BIG is trained to offer intensive psychological support, with psychotherapeutic treatments. Like General Healthcare psychologists, psychotherapists are also obliged to be registered with the BIG-register..
• Clinical Psychologist BIG
The clinical psychologist BIG is the expert in the field of psychological disorders and problems with the exception of neuropsychological problems. The clinical psychologist BIG is called in cases in which the expertise of a General Healthcare psychologist is insufficient. For example a combination of mental deficits and addiction, or problems which coincide with a serious physical illness.

What can the NIP do for me?
The NIP can send you lists of independent psychologists that are based in the area close to where you live or work. All psychologists of this list are NIP-members. Next to the names of the psychologists are registrations of the psychologists noted, for instance primary health care psychologist, psychotherapist or Child and Adolescent Psychologist.

Where can I find more information?
To receive area lists and other questions you can contact the NIP, department of Information on working days between 09.00 and 12.30.
T +31 (0)30 820 15 00
E info@psynip.nl