r/TheHague • u/hiquest • 3d ago
practical questions Living in Hague with family
Hi guys! We are considering moving to Hague as a family of four. I'm looking for any advice how good is the quality of life and the healthcare? For example, how hard it to find a good pediatrician for kids? In general, are there some good options in healthcare?
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u/mocca-eclairs 3d ago edited 3d ago
A lot of foreigners (but also citizens) hate our healthcare. It is very much focused on both being cheap, but also on free market principles. So there are barriers to healthcare, you need a referral from a general practicioner to see a specialist in the hospital, and doctors are not very keen on prescribing drugs (which is a good thing for antibiotics to avoid needless resistant bacteria strains for stuff like the flu, but can also be annoying if you are not good at advocating for yourself). Wait lists for hospitals can be terrible, and then you'll sometimes have yet another months waiting list for medical tests and then more waiting for the results, then a lot more waiting for treatment etc.
With the free market/cheap attitude, there are more drugs shortages than in other countries inside the EU. Often you'll be forced to switch, or sometimes drugs won't be available for month or have to be imported from other countries.
With the efficiency thing, there is also often very little buffer in things like medicine reserves, enough staff, enough beds, enough rooms etc. etc. etc. Our healthcare system is getting more strained every year, although luckily were are not yet at UK levels.
Language can be a bit difficult. People often switch to english when you try to practise dutch, but there are also many people (like nurses/supporting staff that bring food in hospitals/old ppl homes) that can't or won't speak english. Inside expat bubbles you might find english is enough, but then get a nasty shock when someone grows old or sick or has an accident.
Food is a bit of a mixed bag, it is easy to get ingredients from all over the world (part due to colonial history, but also immigration and dutch ppl going on holidays and eating other stuff than the native cuisine) and there are food places with food from all over the world, but dutch restaurants are often very expensive. There is also less of a eating out for lunch culture, many people bring dry bread with cheese to work instead..
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u/hiquest 3d ago
Ok thats pretty rough. But is it possible to somehow get a good healthcare with private endurance, assuming I’m ok to pay extra?
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u/mocca-eclairs 3d ago edited 3d ago
Almost all insurance goes through private parties, that give you access to the "public healthcare", and they don't give you priority/faster treatments or appointments if you pay more. Paying more to insurance gives you more choice between hospitals and more treatments are paid for and you'll have less "own risk" (normally you have to pay a certain amount for treatments that does not get covered by insurance).
You might be able to get faster care in private clinics, but these are almost only for plastic surgeries and such. Some really rich people go to other countries for private clinics to circumvent the wait lists.
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u/thisBookBites 2d ago
That’s exactly what our construct is trying to prevent… you don’t deserve more healthcare because you got wealthy somehow.
As someone who is in the medical system a lot it’s absolutely not as terrible as this person describes it for a majority of issues. Mental healthcare is the most dire right now, I would agree on that, but further I have faced about every part of the hospital under the sun and if it was necessary I always got helped within reasonable time. The only time I faced a waitlist was for something cosmetic which is fair.
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u/MeasurementDirect980 3d ago
Quality of life is pretty good, healthcare is abysmal. The country exploits the fact people live overall healthier lives here to save costs on all preventative, and sometimes curative, healthcare.
This topic has been discussed at length on the subreddit if you want to search.
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u/MariusLukas 3d ago
there's a saying you go to work to rotterdam, you go to party to amsterdam, but you come to sleep to the hague. lived for 5 years with family in the hague. the best city to raise children.
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u/YouOne6572 2d ago
I think its depends in which area you will going to live. Some area in the hague i'm considering as not good area for family, but some area is nice area for family. I don't know how old is your kids, but usually in Netherlands we check our kids in jgz or consultacy bereau, in there they will check all developments of your kids. And for healthcare like GP some is hard to make appointment but i'm grateful my gp always give appointments in the next day if i call them. And they really listen good for our complaints for pain, and if necessary suggest us to go to hospital for checking up.
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u/abusamra82 3d ago
Find your daycare/education as soon as you can and get it as close to your home as possible or vice versa. Also understand that it can be expensive depending on which options you go with until both of you are employed, then the State support kicks in then the costs become much more manageable.