CHILDRENS HEALTH

After hours: Huisartsenpost, Chemists

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Children can be relied on to injure themselves or to be ill on a Friday night or at similarly inconvenient moments, and the Dutch way of dealing with things which aren't life-threatening but definitely can't wait until Monday is through the huisartsenpost , the out-of-hours doctor. This is a telephone service (0900-5138039, 15c/minute) where you will be answered by doktersassistenten , qualified doctors' assistants. You will first be asked for the child's name and date of birth, as the assistente will both look up your child's information and note the details of your conversation for future reference. You may be asked for the child's burgerservicenummer , if it's the first time, so have this to hand as well (not perhaps the first thing you're thinking of with an ill child!).

In the first instance, they will offer advice and suggest appropriate treatment which you can administer yourself. If necessary, you will be told to bring the child in to the huisartsenpost and see the duty doctor, or (as appropriate) ambulance transport may be arranged or the doctor can visit the child at home (although this is rare). In the Leiden area there are two huisartsenposten , one in the LUMC and one in the Rijnland hospital. All incoming cases are assessed by a nurse who then directs you either to the huisartsenpost or to the emergency department, depending on the degree of urgency.

As in all aspects of the Dutch healthcare system, how you get on with this system will depend on how ill your child is and the people you get on the end of the phone. Remember, you're in charge; you're the one who can see how ill the child is, and you should insist on being seen if you feel it is really necessary. Remember also that the huisartsenpost is a valuable source of advice at times when you knew it wasn't serious and weren't even thinking of taking him in to a doctor, but just want advice or reassurance as to how you should deal with a problem. And finally - if you're doing this in English, remember it's not the listener's native language, and be extra, extra clear in explaining, however upset you may be feeling.

After-hours chemist (pharmacy)

At all times out of normal working hours you can use the emergency chemist 'De Nachtwacht' in the LUMC hospital (main entrance). Note that this is only intended for emergencies; they do not carry a comprehensive range of medicines and you will not be welcomed if you come in on a Sunday to pick up that non-urgent prescription you forgot to get on Friday!

On Saturdays and Sundays there is always at least one other chemist open in the Leiden area, known as the dienstapotheek . I have been unable to find a central 'official' resource listing which is open when, but on www.apotheekstevenshof.nl and via the link on the left-hand-side 'Openingstijden en diensten' you will see a full schedule for the next couple of months.

Family doctor part