[EQ] European Commission Green paper on the EU Workforce for Health out for consultation

From: David McDaid - LSE Health and Social Care

 

Green Paper on EU Workforce for Health now out for consultation

European Commission - December 2008

 

Website: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_systems/workforce_en.htm

 

The Commission state that "the aim of the Green Paper is to increase the visibility of these issues, to generate a clearer picture of the extent to which local and/or national health managers face the same challenges and to engage stakeholders in the debate so as to help those responsible across Europe to address these problems effectively. The public consultation process sets out to obtain stakeholders' views on a wide range of issues connected with the healthcare workforce and preparing for the care of an ageing population. The results of the consultation will feed in to our consideration of what the EU can do to support Member States in tackling these challenges."

 

The Green Paper is available in English, French and German at http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_systems/docs/workforce_gp_en.pdf

Responses on issues raised in this Green paper, should be submitted no later than 31 March 2009, preferably to  
SANCO-health-workforce@ec.europa.eu to the following address: European Commission, B-1049, Brussels, Belgium

 

Unless respondents make a declaration to the contrary, the Commission services will assume that they do not object to having their responses, or parts thereof, published on the Commission's website and/or quoted in reports analysing the outcome of the consultation process.

 

“…..There are a number of challenges facing health systems in Europe. People are living longer, new technology is making it possible to increase the range and quality of, often, expensive treatments. There are new and re-emerging threats to health eg from communicable diseases and citizens have ever-rising expectations about having access to the best possible healthcare.

Developing effective and efficient health systems able to respond to the challenges they face depends to a considerable extent on having a high-quality health workforce of sufficient capacity and with the right skills, and for the European Union that means throughout the Member States.

In light of the fact that Member States are facing a number of common problems with their health workforces, there is much to be gained by promoting cooperation and common approaches between the Member States. The European Community can add value by supporting this. The aim of the Green Paper is to increase the visibility of these issues, to generate a clearer picture of the extent to which local and/or national health managers face the same challenges and to engage stakeholders in the debate so as to help those responsible across Europe to address these problems effectively.

The public consultation process sets out to obtain stakeholders' views on a wide range of issues connected with the healthcare workforce and preparing for the care of an ageing population. The results of the consultation will feed in to our consideration of what the EU can do to support Member States in tackling these challenges….”

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. RATIONALE FOR THE GREEN PAPER

3. LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND BASIS FOR ACTION AT EU LEVEL

4. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE WORKFORCE FOR HEALTH IN THE EU AND THE MAIN ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

4.1 Demography and the promotion of a sustainable health workforce

4.2. Public Health Capacity

4.3. Training

4.4. Managing mobility of health workers within the EU

4.5. Global Migration of Health Workers

4.6. Data to support decision-making

5. THE IMPACT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY: IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HEALTH WORKFORCE

6. THE ROLE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL ENTREPRENEURS IN THE WORKFORCE

7. COHESION POLICY

8. CONSULTATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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