COVID-19 research subsidy: How can we maintain a caring policy, also in crisis situations?
3 September 2020
The Dutch government has taken some drastic measures in the past few months. People already in a vulnerable position were hit particularly hard by the crisis policy. The ban on visiting elderly people is one of many examples. At the same time, there is a renewed appreciation for the importance of good medical care for a resilient society.
In the meantime, the government’s crisis policy is increasingly coming under fire. Policy considerations are said to be one-sided and not sufficiently thought through from an ethical perspective. Vulnerable groups have hardly any say in the policy-making process. In the coming two years, chair group of Care Ethics at the University of Humanistic Studies will evaluate the crisis policy and formulate an alternative framework for a care-ethical (crisis) policy framework that fits a caring and inclusive society.
This new project comprises policy research into the crisis measures and an empirical investigation into how people in vulnerable positions have experienced these measures. Additionally, the research will identify the alternative ways that people have found, together with care providers and their loved ones, to cope with the impact of the crisis. The goal is to develop a practicable policy framework that can be used in various sectors. The empirical study concentrates on four groups: people with a mental impairment and their relatives; elderly people and their informal care providers; patients receiving palliative care and their relatives; and finally, refugees.
The insights derived from the field research will be discussed continually with stakeholders and policy makers, as a way to jointly develop an alternative policy framework. The study is headed by Professor of Care Ethics Carlo Leget. Alistair Niemeijer, Els van Wijngaarden and Pieter Dronkers are involved as researchers from the University of Humanistic Studies. Societal partners include Actiz, Dokters van de Wereld, Palliatieve Zorg Nederland, Reliëf, Pharos and the Tao of Care.
Vacancy
We are seeking a postdoc researcher (description in Dutch) to assist us with this project.The University of Humanistic Studies is developing a care-ethical policy framework with which to help cope with future (health) crises in a more caring and inclusive manner. The project is funded by a grant from ZonMw’s COVID-19 Bottom-up Programme.