Day: August 20, 2025

Sint-Pieters-Leeuw – The Belfair care centre in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw is now under strict supervision following a June 2025 inspection that uncovered significant staff shortages, inadequate medication management, and substandard infrastructure. Joris Moonens, a spokesperson for the Department of Care, has insisted on the urgent need for improvements, reports 24brussels.

The inspection, which took place at the Godfried Van Leuvenlaan facility, revealed a series of critical deficiencies, prompting an official warning. VRT News has highlighted these major issues, indicating that the problems at Belfair are systemic rather than isolated, thereby raising questions regarding the overall quality of daily care.

Investigators noted a lack of full-time nursing staff, including the absence of essential personnel such as an end-of-life specialist. Serious concerns were also identified about medication handling and wound care, both deemed crucial for ensuring the residents’ health and safety.

What problems put Belfair care home, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw under supervision?

Inadequate facilities were also reported, including an insufficient number of wheelchair-accessible toilets for residents facing mobility challenges. The Department of Care now mandates additional inspections, with penalties or potential bans on the centre should it fail to implement necessary changes in the stipulated timeframe.

“In a residential care centre, several procedures apply regarding how medication should be handled and how people should be cared for. These procedures must ensure, for example, that people receive the correct medication and that it is stored correctly,”

Moonens stated.

The decision to intensify monitoring of the Belfair facility reflects clear concerns about the execution of daily operational procedures. Moonens noted that while no direct errors have been identified, neglecting established protocols increases risks, justifying heightened vigilance.

“We see that these procedures are not being followed sufficiently in the residential care centre. This doesn’t always mean a mistake has been made, but it does, of course, increase the risk. That’s sufficient reason for us to increase vigilance,”

He added. The Department of Care reiterated that heightened supervision is never imposed lightly and only occurs following repeated failures to address identified issues. The inspectors confirmed a consistent failure in medication management and wound care, compounded by a lack of qualified staff, revealing a deeply vulnerable situation within the facility.

“We only do this if problems have been identified repeatedly and are not being adequately addressed. Moreover, new deficiencies have surfaced since the last inspection,”

Moonens said. The Department indicated that placing a residential care centre under increased supervision is a serious measure taken only in cases where prior inadequacies remain unaddressed or where care quality dips below minimum safety standards.

In the case of Belfair, the inadequacies were deemed severe enough to warrant immediate action. Management has been directed to submit a comprehensive action plan within 15 days, outlining how they intend to resolve issues related to staffing shortages, care quality, and facility accessibility.

In recent years, other residential care centres in Flanders have faced similar scrutiny after inspections revealed alarming deficiencies. For instance, in 2022, the Hemelrijck facility in Mol was placed under heightened monitoring due to staff shortages, poor medical follow-up, and hygiene issues. Additionally, in 2023, another residential care home in Oudenaarde underwent tighter control after inspectors detected problems with wound care and medication handling. In both instances, management was required to present a detailed improvement plan promptly, with subsequent visits scheduled to ensure compliance with standards.