Dilbeek (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Flemish People’s Movement (VVB) will file 7 complaints against Brussels hospitals over language rule violations announced on Monday, Nov 3, 2025, in Dilbeek. Chairman Piet Discart and nurse Anne De Geyter highlight Dutch-speaking patients’ struggles.
As VRT News reported, the Flemish People’s Movement (VVB) announced on Monday, Nov 3, 2025, in Dilbeek, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, that it will file 7 complaints against hospitals in Brussels. The group claims the hospitals are breaking language rules. The announcement comes after the VVB collected over 150 reports from patients who had trouble receiving care in Dutch.
Many of the cases come from the Flemish areas around Brussels. According to the VVB, hospitals and emergency services often fail to provide care in Dutch where the law requires it. The movement says these problems affect the rights of Dutch-speaking patients.
What are Brussels hospitals doing about Dutch-speaking patients’ rights?
The VVB said language issues in hospitals can also cause serious problems in emergencies, where communication is crucial. By filing the complaints, the group wants hospitals to follow the law and ensure Dutch-speaking residents can get care in their own language.
Chairman Michael Discart explained:
“We’re noticing that patients can’t be helped in Dutch. While language legislation requires hospitals to do so, that’s unacceptable.”
Nurse Anne De Geyter has voiced her support for the complaints filed by the Flemish People’s Movement (VVB). She said she has also faced problems in Brussels hospitals because Dutch is not always available.
“My son was hit by a car while riding his bike. He completely flipped over. He wanted to be taken to the hospital in Jette because he’s Dutch-speaking, but they took him to a hospital in Anderlecht. The doctor there didn’t speak a word of Dutch, so a nurse had to translate everything. That’s just not right,”
Nurse Anne De Geyter said.
The VVB hopes the 7 complaints will bring real changes in how hospitals operate. Chair Discart:
“With this procedure, we want the language legislation to be applied and bilingual services to be provided in emergency rooms, which is actually required by law. Currently, it’s practically a lottery to get admitted to a Brussels hospital. And that needs to change.“
In March 2025, the Flemish People’s Movement (VVB) set up an online platform to collect complaints about Brussels hospitals failing to provide care in Dutch. The platform recorded more than 150 incidents in the Flemish periphery where patients could not communicate in their own language.
Belgian law requires hospitals and emergency services in Brussels to offer bilingual services in Dutch and French, but the VVB says rules are often ignored. The complaints include cases dating back to 2023, including one where Dutch-speaking parents could not communicate with first responders after a medical emergency.
Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.
