Employee Representation

UMC Utrecht has the following formal employee-representation bodies:

Works Council

UMC Utrecht staff members are represented in a Works Council. The Works Council meets weekly, alternating between plenary and committee meetings. Once every six weeks, the Works Council meets with the director and Chair of the Executive Board. The Works Council reports to UMC Utrecht staff members on activities and results in an annual report on Connect, the UMC Utrecht intranet.

Works Council members at UMC Utrecht serve for a three-year term. The most recent elections took place in April 2024. Until March 1, 2025, all seats were filled. Following the departure of one member, the Works Council continued with 24 members. There were no reserve candidates. The Daily Management team (chair, vice chair, secretary and deputy secretary) coordinates the activities of the Works Council and holds agenda meetings with the director. The committees prepare documents, hold informal meetings with managers, and consult staff members. Three division and department committees handle dossiers from the divisions and departments, and four theme committees focus on specific topics. Each Works Council member sits on at least one division and department committee and one theme committee. The Works Council is supported by a Staff Representation office: an official secretary and two staff members.

The three division/department committees are:

Committee 1: Brain division, Internal Medicine and Dermatology division, Julius Center, Image and Oncology division, Information Supply and Finance department, Information Technology department, and the Education Center
Committee 2: Pediatric division, Laboratories division, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, Women & Baby division, Strategy and Policy department, Staff and Organization department, Quality and Patient Safety department, and the Marketing and Communication department
Committee 3: Heart and Lung division, Surgery Specialties division, and Vital Functions division, Service Company department, Buildings and Accommodation department

The four theme committees are:

Finance and Strategic Policy
Social Policy and Working Conditions
Safety, Health, Welfare & Environment
Education and Research

In preparation for the formation of the centers, services, and themes, the Works Council adjusted the establishment decisions of the permanent committees in mid-December 2025.

The Works Council is furthermore represented in a number of committees and bodies within UMC Utrecht by Works Council members or people with specific expertise. Examples include the Committee for unwanted Behavior, the UMC Utrecht staff provident fund, and the Advice Committee for Social Guidance.

The year 2025 was strongly marked by the Organizational Transformation of UMC Utrecht. The Works Council issued advice on the Draft Outline, the Main Design, the overarching Change Plan for the Organizational Transformation, and the Change Plan for Services Phase 2. The Works Council also issued advice in three phases on the reorganization of the Information Management and Finance directorate and provided advice on the Change Plan for the Technology and Management department, part of the Facilities directorate.

Another important topic in 2025 was the Integrated Structural Design for the renovation and new construction of UMC Utrecht, completion of phase 1, and the start of phase 2. The Works Council also agreed to various timetable adjustments, labor-market allowances, and action plans for Risk Inventories and Evaluations (RI&Es), the Alcohol, Drugs and Medication Policy, and an updated scheme for reimbursement of computer glasses. The Works Council was closely involved in the development of the laundry allowance and was also informed about the Sustainability Report.

The Works Council jointly completed two two-day training sessions. The Executive Committee and the committee Chairs completed additional training, and several Works Council members individually participated in training sessions and conferences on occupational health or participation.

Education and Research Council and the Medical Sciences Student Representative Council

The Education & Research Council (E&R Council) is our faculty council and is the statutory body for staff representation with regard to academic education and research at UMC Utrecht. The E&R Council’s rights are based on the Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research (WHW in Dutch).

The E&R Council has eighteen seats. These include nine seats for UMC Utrecht employees (together referred to as the ‘E&R committee’) and nine seats for students who together form the Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC represents students from all courses of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (until September 1, 2025: Faculty of Medicine): Medicine, Biomedical Sciences (BMS)/Biomedische Wetenschappen (BMW), Clinical Health Sciences (CHS)/Klinische Gezondheidswetenschappen (KGW), Medical Humanities (MH), and Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS). Not all of the seats are filled at all times.

The Education and Research committee and the SRC meet and discuss separately every fortnight, and together every four weeks. The Education and Research committee consists of five Works Council members and four additional members (who work as university lecturers and/or researchers), sit for a three-year term. The students sit for one year. New elections took place in 2025 for the E&R council and the Works Council. A new SRC was also elected.

The daily management team of the E&R council consists of two staff members and two students and is elected annually by the council in September. The chair of the E&R council as well as the chair(s) of the SRC are students. The daily administration, together with the official secretary, coordinates the work of the E&R council and conducts agenda consultations with the dean, the vice-dean for Education, and the vice-dean for Research. There are three permanent committees, namely for Education, Research, and Strategy & Finance, which prepare dossiers, hold informal meetings with the dossier owners, and consult with staff and/or students. Each E&R-council or SRC member sits on one committee.

The E&R Council looks at UMC Utrecht's policy on academic education and research. In 2025, the E&R Council consulted at least 5 times with the dean and vice-dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Utrecht University on Education and Research topics. The SRC looks in particular at educational policy.

In 2025, the Student Representative Council prioritized internship compensation to ensure that sufficient internship placements remain available and that students actually receive their internship compensation.

In 2025, the E&R Council and the Student Representative Council gave specific attention to: the wellbeing of students and PhD candidates, the honors programs within Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the composition of program committees, the revision of the Medicine curriculum, waiting times and progression times in clinical rotations, the transformation to a new organizational structure and its impact on education and research, the Education and Examination Regulations, the main lines of the faculty budget, the UMC Utrecht budget, and the renovation and new construction plans.

The Student Representative Council proposed in the academic year 2023-2024 to change the name of the faculty to the Faculty of Medical Sciences, so that all programs can recognize themselves in the name. The Board of Governors of Utrecht University agreed to the proposal in 2024. The name change was implemented in September 2025. The Faculty Regulations were amended accordingly. The SRC Election Regulations were also updated to ensure that all five programs can be represented in the Student Representative Council.

Client Council 

UMC Utrecht has its own Client Council by virtue of the Law on client representation in health-care institutions (WMCZ). The Client Council advises the Executive Board on anything that affects the interests of patients at UMC Utrecht. The Board has also been asked to help promote patient participation within UMC Utrecht. The aim is to involve hospital patients in a far broader sense than just through the Client Council in anything that happens at UMC Utrecht. The Client Council works according to a long-term plan entitled ‘More person, less patient: From patient participation to person-oriented care’. The Client Council each year publishes an annual report on the UMC Utrecht website. 

The Client Council meets monthly in plenary sessions, and every two months a Member of the Executive Board joins the meeting. Monthly consultations also take place with (the Chair of) the Executive Board and (the Chair of) the Client Council. The Client Council also meets twice a year with the Supervisory Board, and the Supervisory Board Member nominated by the Client Council regularly attends plenary meetings and sometimes participates in bilateral consultations. In addition, smaller group (portfolio) consultations took place on various specific topics. Members of the Client Council participate in a large number of consultations, projects, and programs at UMC Utrecht to continuously explain and keep an eye on the patient’s point of view.  

Members of the Client Council serve in a personal capacity. New members are recruited by the Client Council in collaboration with the HR department of UMC Utrecht and, after a proposal from the Client Council, are appointed by the Executive Board. Each member of the Client Council may serve two four-year terms. The Chair and an official secretary are in charge of meeting agendas and ensure that all commitments are fulfilled. 

In 2025, the Client Council implemented the long-term plan. This plan has 4 key priorities: communication, profiling the Client Council, contact with the constituency, and impact on decision-making. In 2025, the activities focused on, among other things:  

Improving dialog/communication with patients, with a focus on functional literacy, readable letters, and ‘greeting’.
Continuously emphasizing the PEP (patient effect paragraph) in all policy initiatives and change plans. 
Updating the Client Council’s own website.
Gathering information about what is happening among the constituency, including focus groups and the patient effect monitor.
Research and Education, where the Client Council contributed to developing the new course program for medical training: The New Utrecht School (TNUS). The Client Council also supported the UMC Utrecht symposium on ‘Patient participation in education’ and the Anja Award 2025.

In addition, the long-term plan is evaluated continuously.

Staff Assembly

The Staff Assembly consists of medical specialists from all fields who come together to ensure the quality of patient care. The Council of Members, the representative consulting body of the Staff Assembly, gives the Executive Board solicited and unsolicited advice on developments in medical fields and administrative affairs that pertain thereto. The implementation of Individually Functioning Medical Specialists (IFMS) within UMC Utrecht was also discussed by the Staff Assembly. In this regard, the Staff Assembly is working closely with the People & Organization department.

The Staff Assembly meets twice a month. The Chair of the Executive Board joins the meeting once a month. In addition, the daily management of the Staff Assembly meets monthly with the Chair of the Executive Board. During meetings of the Council of Members, current topics are regularly discussed.

In 2025, the further development of the Organizational Transformation and the iSVP were discussed extensively.

On January 30, 2025, the Staff Assembly issued advice following broad consultation of the Members’ Council on the Main Design, focusing on academic identity, themes, the positioning of the Medical Department Head, and the Staff Assembly. The Staff Assembly also advised the need for clear communication. In the subsequent process, the Staff Assembly actively contributed to the work sessions for the treatment centers.

On February 13, 2025, the Staff Assembly organized a retreat focused on Medical Specialist 2035 and the transformation, with the professionalization of the Staff Assembly as a key theme. Based on the outcomes of the retreat and discussions with the transformation directorate about the role of the Staff Assembly in the new organizational structure, the Staff Assembly Board was expanded with two Medical Department Heads, Karen Bijl and Mor Dickman. The further professionalization of the Staff Assembly will be further shaped in 2026 under the transforming organization.

On July 17, 2025, the Staff Assembly issued a comprehensive advice on the Detailed Design of the transformation. This advice emphasized the thematic structure of the organization, clarification of the position of the Medical Department Head, professional autonomy, and recommendations regarding the leadership required in the matrix structure. One outcome of this advice was the establishment of a working group, with participation from the Staff Assembly, to clarify the legal position of the Medical Department Head, led by Prof. Sijmons.

Another important issue alongside the transformation is the ISVP, the renovation and new construction of the entire UMC Utrecht. The Staff Assembly is represented in the Construction Steering Committee to ensure timely input from the medical specialist perspective and timely communication with the Members’ Council.

In addition to these major themes, the Staff Assembly in 2025 was involved in the FMS Staff Assembly consultations on national development of training for Staff Assembly board members and further elaboration of the national legal framework. And during consultations of the National Society of Employed Physicians (LAD) regarding the Collective Labor Agreement, including involvement in the advisory group.

Other topics discussed included concentration and distribution of care, with regular consultations established with strategic alliances. The Staff Assembly was also involved in the selection process for the Dean joining the Executive Board in 2025.

Nursing Advisory Council

The Nursing Advisory Council (Verpleegkundige Adviesraad, VAR) is an advisory body appointed by the Executive Board to give advice – solicited or unsolicited – on matters that concern nursing care. The VAR includes nurses, nurse specialists, and team leaders from various divisions and departments, and is a mouthpiece for all nursing staff at UMC Utrecht. The VAR aims to expand and reinforce the impact of nursing within UMC Utrecht. Nursing leadership and representation are central here. The goal is to improve and guarantee the quality of care. The VAR also functions as a testing platform for innovations and implementations that affect the nursing profession. In addition, the VAR organizes about twelve nursing lunch forums a year where important nursing topics are presented to equip nurses. The VAR also has a weekly walk-in hour for any questions from, regarding, and for nurses.

The VAR daily management meets weekly, the broad representation with all VAR members meet monthly, and a reduced Leadership Team also meets monthly. Policy days are held twice a year for equipment and team-building. There are also two ambassador events each year where VAR ambassadors get the opportunity to inspire each other and to network. The daily management team is in contact monthly with the Chair of the Executive Board. One Member of the Executive Board also joins the plenary VAR meeting each month.

In 2025, the focus of the VAR was on advising on the transformation of our organization, in which nursing leadership and professional autonomy are key areas of focus. On May 12, 2025, we celebrated International Nurses Day. This also marked the start of the Nurse of the Year 2025 elections in the categories of care, education, and research. This award was presented to three nurses during the UMC Utrecht Team Days 2025. The VAR brings out an annual report on the UMC Utrecht intranet on activities and results.