0031-343556400
About our organization
U-center is a mental health center specialized in treating mental disorders such as depression, trauma and anxiety as well as addiction and personality disorders. We believe that these conditions can best be treated together in an integrated and personalized program of treatment, in a comfortable and inspiring environment. The program consists of 7- or 9-weeks inpatient care.
Everyone can move forward!
This is the motto for U-center's therapeutic treatment model. U-center treats people with complaints in the areas of depression, addiction, trauma, anxiety, somatoform disorders and personality problems.
Mission statement
We believe these symptoms are best treated integrally and simultaneously in a comfortable environment. Using intensive, therapeutic treatment, U-center aims to ensure that clients can return to society (home and/or workplace) after 7 or 9 weeks with new insights, skills and with more control over their own lives.
U-center wants to excel by offering the highest quality. We focus on people with severe psychological complaints, who are motivated to work hard on themselves through an intensive and short-term program, so that they can quickly resume their tasks and roles in society. Learn more about our clinic.
Healing environment and hospitality
Hospitality speelt een belangrijke ondersteunende rol in de behandeling. Door continue kruisbestuiving tussen hospitality en verschillende therapievormen wordt een healing environment gecreëerd die bijdraagt aan het hoge behandeleffect. De behandeling is erop gericht om cliënten zo snel mogelijk te laten terugkeren naar huis en het werk te hervatten.
U-center NEN-EN 15224 quality mark
The U-center team
U-center has approximately 180 employees. A large part of this is formed by our treatment team, consisting of directional therapists, psychologists, gz-psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, physicians, therapeutic staff, sociotherapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The support departments consist of staff from service center, communication center, kitchen and restaurant staff, interior care, technical service, administration, finance, hrm, planning, marketing and it. In addition, the management is supported by the executive secretary and the board secretary.
U-center considers its practitioners, office staff and facilities staff to be true healthcare professionals, because each of them contributes to the well-being and recovery of clients. Working at U-center stands for a lot of responsibility and variety anyway, whatever your exact role.
Dual governance
U-center is managed by a dual board consisting of Bouke Schuurmans (General Director) and Rosy Ghijsens (Director of Care).
This administrative structure unites strategic leadership with healthcare expertise. Bouke Schuurmans focuses on organizational development and operations, while Rosy Ghijsens is responsible for treatment content and quality of care. Together they give direction to a steady and professional U-center, with an eye for innovation, commitment and sustainable strengthening of mental health care.
Works Council
U-center has an expert and enthusiastic works council. They represent the interests of the employees. As a works council, they are also involved in important changes in the organization and think along about issues that are important for clients and the quality of treatment, among other things. The OR consists of members from different teams within U-center, from facilities to treatment staff.
U-center considers its practitioners, office staff and facilities staff to be true healthcare professionals, because each of them contributes to the well-being and recovery of clients. Working at U-center stands for a lot of responsibility and variety anyway, whatever your exact role.
Board of Commissioners
Simon Bambach has a long career as CCO, Vice-Presisent and executive board member at Philips Enabling Technologies (CCO) and at VDL (VP North America and member Executive Board). He also has supervisory experience in (private) healthcare and Private Equity. Simon Bambach was appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board of U-center Holding B.V. on July 1, 2022.
Suzy Matthijsen is a clinical psychologist and content manager at Altrecht Academic Anxiety Center (TopGGZ). She is also Head of Research Angst, Dwang & Trauma and holds a PhD from Utrecht University and has experience as a researcher and co-promoter. Suzy Matthijsen was appointed as a member of the rvc of U-center Holding B.V. on July 1, 2022.
Amon van den Borg is an entrepreneur and director at Arts & Care. He has also held various executive positions at Zorgapotheek Nederland, Independer and Simed. Previously, he has 15 years of experience serving in the Marine Corps in both national and international positions. Amon van den Borg was appointed as a member of the rvc of U-center Holding B.V. on July 1, 2022.
Client Council
The client council in a healthcare facility such as U-center looks after the interests of clients. The client council is a serious discussion partner of the directors and/or management and represents the interests of all clients by influencing and controlling the policy of the care institution. Thus, the client council is not a complaints committee, although it will distill the trend from the complaints in order to ultimately raise the level of care and services to the clients.
Do you have a question or comment for the client council? Or should you feel attracted to also do something for U-center and its people, please contact us. We are at the outreach groups at varying times, but you can also reach us at clientenraad@u-center.nl.
The client council consists of five former clients who have been in treatment at U-center. The client council's goal is to recruit members who have completed at least three months of treatment at U-center and preferably live in regions surrounding U-center's locations. Some members are also experts by experience and thus also try to connect with U-center's current clients. There are currently five different roles within the client council:
The position of Chairman;
The position of Secretary;
The position of Member 1 Care;
The position of Member 2 Service and Facility;
The position of Member 3 Finance and Health Insurance
The Participation Act (WMCZ) grants special rights to U-center's client council in order for it to perform its duties properly. For example, the WMCZ includes a right of inquiry, information and advice. This means that administrators and management are obliged to inform the client council in a timely manner about certain topics, for example about planned reorganizations or financial matters. They are also obliged to provide requested information and to ask the client council for advice or consent on certain subjects. In the case of reorganizations, directors/management must ask the client council for advice. Directors/management must first consult with the client council about the plan before implementing it. If the client council objects to the proposed plan (because it is unreasonable), directors/management must modify the plan in such a way that the client council can agree to it.
On other subjects, such as the introduction of a new complaints procedure or an adjusted regulation in the area of care, the client council has enhanced advisory rights. This means that the management may not introduce the plans without the consent of the client council. In certain cases and situations, the client council has little or no influence. However, the client council does have an advisory right regarding the consequences on the quality of care due to changes in the organization.
The client council and treatment agreements
Finally, it is important to know that the client council has no influence on the agreements made within the framework of the treatment itself. These agreements are made by the practitioners and the clients themselves.
Important regulations
Within U-center we attach great importance to the importance of privacy. We therefore handle your personal data with great care. We are also fully AVG-proof, which means that we meet the requirements of the General Data Protection Act.
U-center works with the GGZ Quality Standard that was included in the Quality Register as a professional standard by the board of directors of Zorginstituut Nederland in 2016. The model indicates what care providers in the GGZ must have arranged in terms of quality and accountability in order to provide curative mental health care within the framework of the Health Insurance Act. The quality standard completed by the care provider guarantees that the care provider ensures that the right help is provided, in the right place and by the right care professional, within a professional and responsible quality network. U-center thus promotes appropriate care.
Of course we do everything we can to help, guide or treat you as well as possible. Nevertheless, it may happen that you are not satisfied or have a complaint. Don't just keep walking around with it and contact the complaints officer at U-center.
View the complaints procedure of U-center.
View the complaints brochure
As of January 1, 2022, an updated Carewide Governance Code is in effect for healthcare organizations. In short, this code regulates that U-center is accountable for reports made in good faith of reasonable suspicions of irregularities or wrongdoing within the organization by employees and others who are in a contractual relationship with U-center, without harming the reporter's legal position.
In the Netherlands, the House of Whistleblowers Act (HvK) has been in place since July 1, 2016. Under this law, employers with at least 50 employees are required to have an internal regulation for reporting suspected wrongdoing within the organization where they work. In order to improve the protection of whistleblowers and because the protection of whistleblowers varies widely within EU member states, the European Directive on the Protection of Persons Reporting Breaches of Union Law was introduced on October 23, 2019. This was translated into the Whistleblower Protection Act which came into force on February 18, 2023.
This whistleblower policy fulfills the mandate to apply a reporting and whistleblower policy, with the aim of contributing to the improvement and, if necessary, correction of the healthcare organization's own functioning.
With the application of this regulation, U-center also implements Article 2.5.2. of the Health Care Sector Governance Code 2022. This regulation was adopted by the board after obtaining prior approval from the Works Council and came into effect on June 1, 2023.