Bredene (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Serving You psychiatric centre in Bredene was ordered to close by September 30, 2024, due to safety issues but still has 13 residents. Mayor Steve Vandenberghe criticised the owner.
The residential psychiatric centre and psychiatric nursing home called Serving You in Bredene was ordered to close in 2024 after an inspection found serious problems that could harm the residents. The main issues were not checking medications properly and not having enough supervision.
Because of this, authorities told the operator to shut down the psychiatric centre for at least four months, with the closure set to start by September 30th, 2024. However, the operator has not fully followed this order. There are still 13 residents living there, which raises concerns about their safety and whether the closure order is being enforced.
Is Bredene’s psychiatric centre ignoring closure orders and risks?
Bredene’s mayor, Steve Vandenberghe, has criticized the operator for ignoring the rules. The mayor said the owner was not allowed to accept new residents after the closure order. However, she has continued to take in new people since the closing date.
He called her actions “unacceptable” and “irresponsible”. He highlighted the dangers for the vulnerable individuals who are still in her care. Vandenberghe also shows concern with the lack of action. She mentioned that this kind of behaviour weakens public trust in the rules and puts the safety of the residents at even greater risk.
Mayor Steve Vandenberghe said:
“She should have closed by September 30th. She’s not adhering to that. That woman wasn’t allowed to accept new people. She’s been doing that since the closing date.”
In November of 2024, the Department of Care inspected the residential care centre, and psychiatric nursing home called Serving You in Bredene. They found that the centre was not following the order to close down. Even though they were told to shut down, the facility kept taking in residents.
After the discovery, the Department of Care asked Bredene’s mayor, Steve Vandenberghe, to make sure the centre closed. However, the mayor has not acted on this request. He said there are serious legal and ethical problems that make it hard to enforce the closure.
According to Mayor Vandenberghe, the local government cannot close care facilities on its own. He explained that it is the Flemish government’s responsibility, especially Flemish Minister of Welfare Caroline Gennez, to set the right laws for these situations. He also expressed his worries about evicting the residents.
Mayor Vandenberghe does not want to force vulnerable people onto the streets. He mentioned that many of the residents have mental health problems, and there are not enough spaces in other care facilities because of long waiting lists. He described the situation as very troubling. He believes everyone has the right to good care, and right now, these vulnerable individuals do not have good options available.
