The Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ANVS) plans to extend the licence granted to the Nij Smellinghe hospital. This hospital is situated at Compagnonsplein 1, 9202 NN in Drachten. Everyone can respond to the draft licence until 26 August 2026.
Image: © ANVS
Radiological examinations and treatment of cancer patients with radiotherapy
Nij Smellinghe is a regional hospital that uses ionising radiation and radioactive substances for medical applications. This takes place, for example, during radiological examinations and in the treatment of cancer patients with radiotherapy. For this care, a licence is required under the Nuclear Energy Act.
With the extension of the licence, the hospital wants to use more radioactive substances for radiotherapy. The hospital also wants to increase the number of encapsulated sources for calibration and monitoring. An encapsulated source is a radioactive source in which the radioactive material is permanently sealed inside a capsule. This prevents the radioactive material from escaping and contaminating the environment. Ionising radiation may, however, be emitted for medical applications.
We want to allow the extension. The hospital has demonstrated that this can be done safely. The radiation doses remain below the legal limits for staff, residents and the environment. The activities are carried out in accordance with established rules and procedures.
New Donger site in Dokkum
Nij Smellinghe has asked us to extend the licence to cover a new site: the ‘De Donger’ building at Birdaarderstraatweg 72E in Dokkum. Medical examinations will be carried out there to make diagnoses.
Response is possible until 26 August 2026
You can examine the draft licence (in Dutch) for Nij Smellinghe until 26 August 2026. If, after reading this, you have any comments on this draft licence, you can submit them by means of a statement of view (public participation response).
You can respond in three ways:
1. By email: send your email to Postbus.Aanvragenenmelden@anvs.nl and put ‘Statement of view concerning draft licence for Nij Smellinghe’ in the subject line of your email.
2. In writing: send a letter to the ANVS with reference ‘Statement of view concerning draft licence for Nij Smellinghe’, PO Box 16001, 2500 BA The Hague.
3. By telephone: call the Information Desk for Nuclear Energy Act licences on +31 88 489 05 00, which can be reached from Monday to Friday, between 8.30 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.
We include the statements of views and our response to them in the final licence. This licence will be published on Publicatieplatform UitvoeringsContent. If you have submitted a statement of view, we will inform you about the final licence.
Would you like to find out more?
Please read the official announcement in the Government Gazette.