To increase the attractiveness and professionalization of the sector, an improvement could be made to the quality of the services and the formal framework for PHS providers. Several measures (quality control mechanisms) could be adopted to ensure the improvement occurs:

• Accreditation. A national authority could provide accreditation on the basis of sound criteria and therefore enhance quality of services.

In Sweden, local authorities are obliged to develop and apply measurements or indicators of quality in elderly care services.

• Standards. Furthermore, setting up standards and monitoring them might also guarantee compliance with some quality criteria.

In the Netherlands, the Foundation for Harmonisation of Quality Review in Health Care and Welfare (HKZ) adopts standards related to home care and social services. Providers who comply with the standards receive certification which is valid for three years. Recently, the German standardisation body (DIN) has developed standards on the minimum information, advice and placement services provided by PHS suppliers. The development of a second set of standards on the actual provision of PHS is planned for the second half of 2016.

• Training. Finally, requirements for training courses might also favour improvement in the quality of services.

In Belgium, it is compulsory for every service vouchers agency in the Joint Committee Nr 322.01 to provide professional training every year that amounts in total to at least 11 hours per worker (the total number of hours per firm can be used without distinction among employees) and for each new worker.

Those measures are likely to improve the confidence of potential users and stimulate demand. Furthermore, as far as equity is concerned, it is important to adopt regulations that guarantee the same quality of services for everyone.