Huisarts vs. Consultatiebureau in Leiden
What each does and doesn't do — because the consultatiebureau won't prescribe antibiotics, and the huisarts won't do the 14-month MMR.
If you grew up with a pediatrician who handled everything from vaccinations to ear infections, the Dutch split between huisarts and consultatiebureau can feel needlessly complicated. It's not — it's just two services with clear, non-overlapping roles. This is a practical decoder for international families in Leiden: who you call for what, why the consultatiebureau won't prescribe antibiotics, why the huisarts won't do the 14-month MMR, and which English-speaking practices exist if you need them.
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Last updated: 20 August 2026
Two services, one child — and no overlap
The Dutch system splits child healthcare into two clear lanes: the huisarts (GP) handles illness, prescriptions, and urgent medical questions, while the consultatiebureau (child health clinic, part of the JGZ / youth healthcare) handles preventive care, development monitoring, and the national vaccination schedule. They don't duplicate each other, and they don't report to each other — you need both, and each one stays in its lane.
For internationals this can feel fragmented, especially when your child has an ear infection and the consultatiebureau says "call your huisarts," or when you ask the huisarts about the 14-month MMR and they say "that's the consultatiebureau." It's not a runaround — it's just the way the system is designed.
Who does what — the clear split
This is the division of labor. If something is on the left, the huisarts handles it; if it's on the right, the consultatiebureau handles it. No exceptions.
Huisarts (GP)
- Illness: colds, coughs, ear infections, fevers, rashes that need diagnosis
- Prescriptions: antibiotics, fever reducers (prescription-strength), asthma inhalers
- Referrals: to specialists (pediatrician, ENT, dermatologist) when needed
- Urgent medical questions: "Should we go to A&E?" "Is this normal or worrying?"
- Travel vaccinations and non-RVP vaccines (e.g., flu shot if recommended by GP)
Consultatiebureau (JGZ)
- Preventive care: weighing, measuring, growth curves, development monitoring
- Van Wiechen checks: structured developmental milestones (motor skills, communication)
- National vaccinations (RVP): MMR, DKTP-Hib-HepB, pneumococcal, meningococcal, rotavirus
- Health questions between visits: sleep, feeding, developmental worries (phone or chat)
- The Groeiboek (growth record): maintained by the consultatiebureau, not the huisarts
The consultatiebureau is free and universal; the huisarts is covered by your Dutch health insurance (basisverzekering). Both are essential, and neither replaces the other.
The questions that confuse everyone
These are the scenarios that trip up internationals most often — when the boundary between huisarts and consultatiebureau isn't obvious.
My child has a fever — who do I call?
Huisarts. Fever is illness, and illness is the huisarts's domain. The consultatiebureau will not diagnose or treat a sick child — if you call them with a fever, they'll route you to your huisarts. After hours (after 17:00 or weekends), call the huisartsenpost (see below).
Can the huisarts give the 14-month MMR?
No. The national RVP vaccinations (including MMR / BMR) are administered by the consultatiebureau, not the huisarts. The huisarts can give travel vaccines or flu shots if medically indicated, but the routine childhood schedule is the consultatiebureau's responsibility.
My child isn't talking yet — who do I ask?
Start with the consultatiebureau. Development questions (speech, motor skills, social interaction) are their core expertise, and they track milestones at every visit. If they're concerned, they'll refer you to a specialist. The huisarts can also advise, but the consultatiebureau has the longitudinal development data.
We're traveling abroad — who gives travel vaccines?
Huisarts or a travel clinic. The consultatiebureau only administers the national RVP schedule; anything outside that (yellow fever, typhoid, etc.) goes through the huisarts or a specialized travel clinic (reisadvies). These may not be fully covered by insurance, so check beforehand.
Can the consultatiebureau prescribe paracetamol syrup?
No. The consultatiebureau does not prescribe medications — that's the huisarts. Over-the-counter paracetamol (e.g., Kinderparacetamol) is available at any pharmacy or drugstore without prescription, but if you need a prescription-strength dose or another medication, call your huisarts.
What if I need a referral to a pediatrician?
Huisarts. In the Dutch system, the huisarts is the gatekeeper for specialist referrals (including to a pediatrician / kinderarts). If your child has a medical issue that needs specialist care, the huisarts assesses it and writes the referral. The consultatiebureau can suggest you speak to your huisarts, but they don't write referrals themselves.
After 17:00 and weekends: the huisartsenpost
Your huisarts's practice closes in the evening and on weekends, but urgent medical questions don't wait. That's where the huisartsenpost comes in: a regional after-hours GP service for urgent (but not life-threatening) issues. In Leiden, the huisartsenpost is at the LUMC (Leiden University Medical Center).
Leiden huisartsenpost details
- Location: LUMC, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden
- Phone: 088 00 30 600 (after your own huisarts closes)
- Triage by phone first — they decide if you need to come in, or if advice over the phone is enough
- Covered by your health insurance (same as regular huisarts visits)
When to call the huisartsenpost
- After 17:00 on weekdays, all day Saturday and Sunday, and public holidays
- For urgent issues that can't wait until the next morning: high fever, persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, worrying rashes
- NOT for routine questions or repeat prescriptions — those wait until regular hours
- NOT for life-threatening emergencies — call 112 for those
English-speaking huisarts practices in Leiden
Not every Leiden GP practice advertises English fluency, and availability changes often, so always confirm when you register that English consultation is available.
Find an English-speaking huisarts
Search toolsUse huisartsenzoeker.nl or zorgkaartnederland.nl to find practices near your address that are accepting new patients, then call and ask whether English consultations are available. Practices near Leiden University and the LUMC are used to international families.
Ask other international families
Word-of-mouthLeiden expat groups (e.g., Leiden Expat Families on Facebook) are a reliable source for current recommendations. Practices change staff, and fluency varies by doctor within a practice, so fresh word-of-mouth is often more accurate than published lists.
Registration note
- Huisarts practices have catchment areas — you must live within their assigned zone to register
- Some practices are full and have waiting lists; register as soon as you have a Leiden address
- You'll need your BSN, proof of address, and Dutch health insurance to complete registration
Useful links
- Consultatiebureau decoded guide — the full JGZ walkthrough
- CJG Leiden — contact for consultatiebureau appointments (088 254 23 84)
- Huisartsenpost Leiden — after-hours GP (088 00 30 600)
- LUMC — location of Leiden huisartsenpost (Albinusdreef 2)
- Zorgkaartnederland.nl — search and compare huisarts practices by rating
- Leiden Expat Families (Facebook) — for current GP recommendations
- First 90 days in Leiden guide — the full administrative sequence
About this guide
This guide is for general information and reflects how the huisarts and consultatiebureau systems work in Leiden as of mid-2026. It is not medical advice, and Teddy Kids is a daycare provider, not a healthcare provider — we cannot diagnose, prescribe, or give medical guidance. For any question about your child's health, illness, or development, consult your own huisarts or consultatiebureau, who know your child and can advise you directly. Practice details (English fluency, registration availability) change over time, so always confirm directly with the practice when registering.
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