EU HEALTH POLICY FORUM (EUHPF)

30 MAY 2008 MEETING

  1. The EU Health Policy Forum was established by DG Sanco as a consultative body for discussion of key policy areas[1]. It has a maximum of 60 members; all are organisations. The list ofmembers at the previous meeting (28 November 2007)is appended to the minutes of that meeting, andcirculated herewith.
  1. The first meeting of EHPF this year was on 30 May. Theagenda and supporting papersare circulated herewith.
  1. The following issues were considered at the 30 May meeting:

3.1Adoption of the agenda

3.2Approval of the minutes of the meeting of28 November 2007

3.3 Revised mandate and future work of the EU Health Policy Forum

See Item 3.7 of report of 27 November 2007meeting (herewith), and the accompanying 30 Mayagenda papers on the Mandate and Working Methods of the Forum, and also the presentation (PP1, herewith)

Key ideas in discussion: importance of equity of voice and access for all 27 MS; opportunities for Forum members to bring observers from time to time; organisations in the renewed forum to have a contact person in each EU country, the organisations together forming a dissemination and activation network in each country, and liaising with country-based EU officials

Next steps: amend and agree draft mandate; EC legal people to check it; call for applications for renewed membership in second half of 2009 (existing members will need to apply). Hope to have new forum in place by end 2009/early 2010.

3.4 The Implementation of the new Health Strategy and other key developments in the field of health

See Item 3.6 of report of 27 November 2007 meeting (herewith) and the accompanying 30 May agenda papers: White Paper: Together for Health and Council of the European Union: EU Health Strategy, and also the presentation (PP2, herewith)

Parliamentary discussion of the Health Strategy has just started and (unusually) is on similar lines to the Council.Inequalities, health in all policies, health promotion and disease prevention appear to be high priorities

A cooperation mechanism for implementation is to be created, as recommended by the White Paper – Council conclusions due on 10 June 08. Not a new mechanism, but to be embodied by existingCouncil Health Working Party at Senior Level (CHWP~SL), with mandate to: discuss strategic health issues; identify priorities and objectives for EU health action; exchange good practice; & review progress.

The Commission will be very involved in this. Existing structureswill be reviewed, rationalised and streamlined. Stakeholders will be involved through: the work of the Forum; other stakeholders’ platforms and groups; direct invitation from CHWP~SL; systematic consultation before new initiatives are tabled.

This is still very much ‘work in progress’, but if it goes ahead it will be a big advance on current uncoordinated action. The way ahead:

  1. Coordination mechanism between Council and Commission set up
  2. 1st meeting under upcoming French presidency
  3. Stakeholders, including NGOs, Regions, Parliament, to feed into shaping of objectives and implementation actions.

What does the Forum want to concentrate on – what issues and what tools? Where should it be making the big effort? There is an opportunity now before the new Parliament and new Commission in 2009, to draw up and map a manageable number of themes - by the end of 2008, if to be at all influential in 2009.

Key ideas in discussion: need for policy coherence to bring together the diverse objectives; need to work on addressing inequalities within health sector, as well as recognising the actions that are needed outside, eg to create jobs; the need to give attention to building organisations and infrastructures known to be effective in HP field.

Next steps: 1. Ad hoc Forum working group to meet the Dec2008 timetable

2. Try to arrange for the new coordination mechanism to meet the Forum

3.5 Information on the Commission consultation Reforming the Budget, Changing Europe(circulated to Regional Committee on 21 November 2007).

See Item 3.4 of report of 27 November 2007 meeting (herewith) and the accompanying 30 May agenda paper of which IUHPE was a co-author: Contribution to the Public Consultation in view of the 2008/2009 Budget Review, and also the presentation (PP3, herewith)

250 responses received by DG Budget. The Forum working group’s report was warmly received (eg “the best piece of work I have yet seen on the budget”; “the best Euro document I have seen in 10 years”).

Key ideas in discussion: beginning of a longer process; need ongoing lobbying by all members of Forum; build alliances with others - with lobbying around education, environment, climate change etc; possibly develop a Forum budget lobbying strategy; strengthen the arguments, especially about strong paybacks from early intervention in promotion and prevention; ask the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Health to look at the report.

Next steps:

  1. Commission will prepare a process timetable and circulate by mid-June
  2. Commission will start on the mind map of priorities for implementing strategy, over the summer
  3. Commission will bring the different elements together

-New draft of Forum mandate document, with priorities annex revised to be based on implementation priorities

-how we justify spending on health

  1. Timeframe will enable it to shape Open Forum agenda (see 3.6 below)
  2. Ad hoc Forum working group to include this task, as well as strategy

3.6 The Open Forum1 2008

See the presentation, PP4.

Commission conference Hold the dates: 10-11 December 2008

Objectives

-input into policy

-feedback

Involvement of EU institutions, MS and WHO

-parallel working groups

-audience/participants – room for up to 500

-looking for representation from Commissioner, Team Presidency etc

Possible topics

  1. healthy lifestyles for young people +/or ?healthy ageing throughout the lifespan
  2. climate change
  3. etc?

3.7 Commission update on key policy areas

  1. Initiative on telemedicine

See accompanying 30 May agenda paper on Telemedicine and the presentation (on Sanco website).

  1. Patient safety

See presentation(on Sanco website).Follow up to last Forum meeting. Commission working on general safety issues and health care associated infections. Preparing one document – a Commission communication by end 2008, with intended Council recommendation for adoption in early 2009

  1. Initiative on cross-border care “Social Package”

See presentation PP6.

-Contributing to high quality health care for patients across Europe. Will be part of the social package to be adopted soon by Commission

-Need for universality and access to good quality care, equity and solidarity

-Hope to have full text by summer and then into co-decision processes , with a view to approval by end of the year

  1. 30 June – high level conference on mental health
  2. New Commissioner emphasises young people – youth and health initiative of DG Sanco – will be writing out for contact persons from the organisations
  3. 29-30 October – all Forum members to be invited to Futures Conference

3.8 Important communications by members

  1. Recently adopted European Dental Professions’ Patients’ safety resolution circulated at forum
  2. PGEU new booklet on adherence to medicines circulated at forum
  3. Database of all NGOs working in health field being created by EPHA – by email enquiry shortly
  4. Note: European Parliament 15 July debate on whether tobacco industry should be considered a stakeholder in health

3.9 Next meeting of the Health Policy Forum will be a half day meeting before the Open Forumon 10 December 2008 in Brussels.

Spencer Hagard – 30 May 2008 EHPF Report [10 06 08]1/3

[1]The EU Health Forum serves as an information and consultation mechanism to ensure that the aims of the Community’s health strategy are made clear to the public and respond to their concerns. It provides an opportunity to representative organisations of patients, health professionals and other stakeholders, such as health service providers, to make contributions to health policy development, its implementation and the setting of priorities for action.The EU Health Forum is composed of two complementary elements: An Open Forum as a platform for general exchange of information and for a discussion with a broader range of groups and interested parties, and a Health Policy Forum with a consistent set of member organisations, for the discussion of key policy areas.

(