With the support of the Committee of the Regions

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With the support of the Committee of the Regions
Katja Neubauer Health Strategy Health Systems
Unit European Commission Patient Safety An EU
Priority
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Patient Safety An EU Priority

• Katja Neubauer
• Health Strategy Health Systems Unit
• European Commission
• Brussels, 12 November 2008

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The need for action on patient safety

• Efforts across Europe to provide safe, high
  quality healthcare.
• Increasing awareness of healthcare-related
  injuries and adverse events.
• Few EU Member States with information on the
  prevalence of adverse events.
• Studies suggest major health impacts and economic
  costs from adverse events.
• Experience and common sense suggest targeted
  programmes, policies and initiatives can improve
  patient safety levels.

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Extent of the problem?

• National studies in UK, Spain, France and Denmark
• Impact assessment Key Informant Interviews
• Between 8 and 12 of hospital admissions result
  in adverse events
• HAI or nosocomial infections major cause of harm

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Consultation On EC Action- Results

• Respondents were asked about personal or family
  members firsthand experience of an adverse
  event in a healthcare setting in their home
  country

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ROLE OF EU
EC TREATYArticle 152 High level of health
protection

Charter of Fundamental Rights Universal right to
healthcare
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Legal basis for EU support

• Article 152 (public health)
• Community action shall be directed towards
  ------ preventing human illness and diseases, and
  obviating sources of danger to human health -----
  
• The Community shall encourage cooperation between
  the Member States ----and ---- lend support to
  their action.
• Community action in the field of public health
  shall fully respect the responsibilities of the
  Member States for the organisation and delivery
  of health services and medical care.

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EU involvement in patient safety to date

• Patient Safety Working Group of the High Level
  Group on Health Services and Medical Care from
  2005-2008
• Community co-funded patient safety projects,
  including EUNetPaS, OECD on indicators and
  SImpPatIE.
• Other EU initiatives

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EU involvement in patient safety to date

• Certain aspects of patient safety are addressed
  in
• Legislation on pharmaceuticals, pharmacovigilance
  and medical devices
• Initiatives on eHealth
• Initiatives on Health professionals
• Open method of coordination
• Projects under the Research FPs or Health
  programme

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New Commission Proposals in 2008

• Overarching approach to patient safety
• Communication and Council Recommendation on
  patient safety,
• including prevention and control of
  healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• addressing overall cultural, systemic and
  communication barriers to improved safety

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Contents of the proposal

• The proposal consists of two parts
• Communication
• Describes current initiatives
• Maps activities
• Sets out possible responses.
• Recommendation
• Sets out actions Member States could take
• Individually
• Collectively
• With the support of the Commission.

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Contents of the Recommendation

• Support the development of national patient
  safety policies and programmes
• Empower and inform citizens and patients
• Establish or strengthen reporting and learning
  systems on adverse events
• Include patient safety in the education and
  training of health professionals
• Develop and promote research on patient safety
• Classify, codify and measure patient safety
• Share knowledge, experience and best practice at
  European level

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Future Steps

• Commission adopts Communication proposal for
  Council Recommendation end of November
• Discussions in Council 2009 during Czech
  Presidency
• Possibly Initiative report by the EP

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Conclusions

• Patient Safety is a priority for Member States,
  patients and citizens, and stakeholder groups.
• Much still to be done at Member State level.
• However, a definite role for the European Union.
• Community co-funded projects such as EUNetPaS a
  good example of EU added value.
• A need for politcal commitment and
  sustainability.

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Merci!Thank You!