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The reality of the waiting list and concrete options
GGZ Waiting Time: What Can You Do While You Wait?
You have a referral to the GGZ, but your turn is scheduled months later. This page explains why the wait is so long, what rights you have during it, and the concrete steps that can reduce the psychological cost.
Because of an imbalance between supply and demand, GGZ waiting times can run from weeks to 6-12 months depending on the region. While you wait, you have three concrete options: (1) call your insurer's wachtlijstbemiddeling (waiting-list mediation) and ask for an earlier place at another institution, (2) get bridging support through the huisarts/POH-GGZ, or (3) begin without waiting through private or online therapy, for which no referral is needed.
Why is the wait so long?
The mechanism is a simple supply-and-demand problem: while demand rose (especially after the pandemic), GGZ capacity, the number of psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists, did not grow at the same pace. Complex diagnostic groups (trauma, personality patterns, autism assessments) wait the longest. The official maximum terms (Treeknorm: a set number of weeks until assessment) remain, in many regions, only words on paper.
The psychological cost of waiting
Waiting is not a neutral pause; complaints change shape during that time. With anxiety, avoidance behaviours expand and turn into habit; with panic, the expectation that 'it will happen again' feeds the picture; with depressive complaints, reduced activity deepens the cycle. This is the strongest reason for early intervention: the same problem, three months later, is a more entrenched problem.
Right 1: Wachtlijstbemiddeling
A little-known but effective right: you can call your zorgverzekeraar (health insurer) and request wachtlijstbemiddeling (waiting-list mediation). The insurer is obliged to find, among its contracted institutions, an alternative with an earlier place. When you call, have your referral date, your diagnosis/reason for applying, and the estimated wait you were given ready to hand.
Right 2: Bridging support
Returning to the huisarts during the waiting period is legitimate: you can ask for POH-GGZ sessions, a referral for a medication assessment if needed, and, if the situation worsens, an update to the urgency level of the referral. If your complaints clearly worsen, reporting this to the huisarts can change your waiting priority.
Option 3: Starting without waiting, private / online therapy
The route that requires no referral and no waiting list runs through private practices that work contractvrij (without insurer contracts). For Turkish speakers this has an added advantage: even when your turn in the GGZ comes, the therapy will most likely be conducted in Dutch, and the depth the mother tongue provides in emotional work is lost. At ViaNova Praktijk, work usually begins soon after an appointment request; the cost and possible partial reimbursement are explained on the Fees and Insurance page. The two paths are not mutually exclusive: staying on the waiting list while starting online therapy lets you make an informed comparison when your turn comes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply elsewhere while I am on the waiting list?
Yes. You may be on the list of more than one institution or begin private/online therapy while waiting; this is not against the rules.
How do I request wachtlijstbemiddeling?
You call your insurer's customer line and ask for 'wachtlijstbemiddeling GGZ'; with your referral details and the estimated wait you were given, an alternative institution is sought.
What if my condition worsens while I wait?
Go back to the huisarts: the urgency level can be updated and bridging support can be arranged. In an acute crisis, the huisartsenpost or 112; to talk, 113 (0800-0113).
Do I lose my place in the GGZ if I start online therapy?
No; private therapy does not affect your place on the GGZ waiting list. When your turn comes, you decide whether to continue based on your needs at that moment.
Clinical and emergency boundary
This page is intended for general information only. No diagnosis is made and no personal treatment advice is given via this website. In case of an acute crisis, risk of self-harm, or a threat to safety, contact 112, your huisarts, or the huisartsenpost in the Netherlands. To talk, the 113 Zelfmoordpreventie helpline (0800-0113) is open day and night.