Minutes Meeting UEMS-Section of Clinical Neurophysiology
Venue: Rica Hotel, Trondheim, Norway
Time: 15.5.2009 11:30 – 13.30
Participants:
Martin Fabricius, Denmark
Jose M. Fernandez, Spain
Kjeld V. Andersen, Denmark
Björn Falck, Finland
Pål G. Larsson, Norway
Juhani Partanen, Finland (Secretary)
Eva Svanborg, Sweden (Chair)
1. The meeting was opened and the participants were welcomed. A simple lunch was served.
2. The minutes from the previous meeting in Istanbul 2008 (sent separately) were approved.
3. Eva Svanborg was elected to be President and Juhani Partanen Secretary for the UEMS section of Clinical Neurophysiology for 2009/2010.
4. Status of Clinical Neurophysiology (CN) in Europe:
· Iceland is not anymore a member of UEMS, and there are only three persons working in clinical neurophysiology.
· There is some more money for specialization in Italy.
· In The Netherlands and in Denmark there is a trunk for specialization, but CN is not an independent speciality.
· There is the possibility that CN will be restarted as an independent speciality in Denmark in near future.
5. President´s report of UEMS doings during 2008/2009, including working group “Future structure of the UEMS”:
Eva Svanborg has been the President of the 3rd Grouping of UEMS (“technical specialities”) during 2008 and 2009, and has participated in meetings in Copenhagen and Brussels. In this capacity ES have also participated into the working group “Future structure of the UEMS”; one meeting in Amsterdam and numerous mail contacts. In collaboration with the president of the working group, ES has written a short information paper about UEMS (““Information to the delegates of the UEMS Sections”) in English (also translated to Swedish), which has been sent to all National Medical Associations which belong to the UEMS. The idea is that this should be given to all new UEMS delegates. The NMA:s have also been asked to provide the names of all their national UEMS delegates, and have been reminded that the UEMS delegates have to be elected by their respective specialist sections to be further approved by the NMA:s, and the names thereafter reported to Brussels.
At present there are two annual general UEMS Meetings; one Section and Boards meeting, when the sections are given information by the central board, and one Council Meeting, when decisions are made concerning policy statements. The working group is proposing that in the future there should only be one general 2-day meeting. The working group also proposes that the Groupings Presidents should sit for 4-year periods (now 2-year period).
Within the UEMS, the EACMME is developing. There is a new online application form to use for any body which wants CME-points for a scientific or teaching activity. All specialist sections have been asked to propose names of individuals who could evaluate such activities, and e-learning materials in particular. If a Delegate wants to be a reviewer, she/he should send a message to Eva Svanborg.
European issues during the last year, which the UEMS has been asked to consider:
· Patient rights in cross-border healthcare; tough political questions. There is currently a new draft Directive under discussion in Parliament and Council. Briefly, it says that a patient only has the right to receive care in another EU country if this type of care is given in his own country, but with unacceptable delay. Also, there can only be reimbursement, never any money paid in advance.
· Maintenance of professional mobility. The UEMS is lobbying for establishing European-wide standards for healthcare providers.
· Guaranteeing quality and safety in the use of e-health and telemedicine.
· The need of constant training and education to adapt to new technologies. UEMS has really stressed that quality of education should be guaranteed through creation of general standards and assessment of training centres. There is also a need to assure that incoming non-European healthcare staff holds the proper qualifications to practice within Europe.
· The working time of physicians: the current directive is being revised, and a new is expected autumn 2009. The position of the Council is that the weekly working hours should not exceed 48 hours, with an opt-out possibility to work 60-65 hours per week (i.e., a single employee can make a deal to work > 48 hours). The inactive part of on-call should not be counted as working time, but the Parliament overruled this, so it probably will be counted. Compensatory leave should be taken with “reasonable delay”.
6. It was discussed whether the CN core curriculum should be published in the pertinent specialist journals, such as J Clinical Neurophysiology. It is currently available on the homepage of the UEMS. Examples of log books could also be published. The president will suggest this to the editor of J Clin Neurophys.
7. The “Information to the delegates of the UEMS Sections” mentioned above, i.e. a short description of UEMS rules and procedures has been sent to all national Delegates in CN.
8. Specialist exam (European board exam). The subject was discussed but no decision was made. European exam is good for countries which do not have independent CN. But how this should be done? Question bank? Practical evaluation? One day somewhere in Europe? The delegates should discuss in every Society of CN if this is what you want to do, and the matter will be discussed again at the next section meeting.
8. Common trunk education with neurology. The neurologists specialist section has asked us to consider this. The specialization time needed for CN is 5 years. Thus the answer for common trunk education with neurology is no.
10. Financial contribution. It is very important to get financial support for the Delegates to participate in Section Meetings and this is recommended from UEMS.
12. Next Meeting. It was decided that the next CN Section Meeting will be in Kobe, Japan, 28-31.10 2010, in connection with the IFCN Word Congress.
Eva Svanborg, Chair Juhani Partanen, secretary