European Citizens’ Consultations
Regional Debate on “Health Care and Health Promotion”
Bratislava, 27th October, 10.30h -16h

The European Movement, in collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation, will be hosting the European Citizens’ Consultations Regional Debate on Tuesday 27th October in the Historical Building of the National Council in Zupne Namestie, Bratislava, Slovakia.
 
“The EU should intensify its efforts towards establishing of a common health care system, based on know-how from the countries with the most effective systems. Together with Member States it should implement an equal basic standard of healthcare for each EU-citizen. There should be centralized oversight of provisions and standards. An independent mechanism for EU wide recognition of qualifications for medical and health care professionals should be developed and implemented.”

This is one of 15 recommendations, which was developed by 1600 citizens from all EU-Member States during the European Citizens Consultations on the Economic and Social Future of Europe over the first 6 months of this year (www.europeancitizensconsultations.eu).

During the Bratislava debate, these recommendations and further issues related to health care and health promotion will be discussed involving key stakeholders from Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria. This is the second of five regional debates happening around Europe.

In the earlier stages of the consultation process, citizens gave high priority to issues related to health. They urged the EU to intensify its efforts towards establishing of a common health care system, based on know-how from the countries with the most effective systems. Together with Member States it should implement an equal basic standard of healthcare for each EU-citizen. There should be centralized oversight of provisions and standards. An independent mechanism for EU wide recognition of qualifications for medical and health care professionals should be developed and implemented.

The debate aims to address the sustainability issue of healthcare systems’ from the perspectives of the values and principles agreed by the EU’s Health Ministers in 2006 and 2008 – the Tallinn commitment to “Health Equals Wealth”. Discussion will also centre around the diminishing availability of human resources, the innovation funding and investment opportunities, in order to meet the changing needs in healthcare.

PROGRAMME

10.30 – 11:00 — Registration and coffee

11:00 – 11.05 — Welcome
Radovan Geist – Editor-in-chief, EurActiv.sk

11.05 – 11.35 —About the project
Gabriel Bianchi – Director Department of Social and Biological Communication Slovak Academy of Sciences
Gerrit Raws – King Baudoin Foundation

11.35 – 12.30 — Key note speeches (Q & A)
Eleonora Bránska – General Director Department of International Relations Ministry of Health SR

13.30 – 14.30 — Panel debate – EU health care systems
Miroslav Mikolášik – Member of European Parliament
Daniel Popescu – General Director of the Authority of Public Health in Bucharest
Miroslav Lednár – Chairman of Board Slovak Association of Research Based Pharmaceutical Companies
European Commission tbc 
Vihren Petkov – Associate professor Medical University of Sofia 

Recommendation made by citizens: “The EU should intensify its efforts towards establishing of a common health care
system, based on know-how from the countries with the most effective systems. Together with Member States it should
implement an equal basic standard of healthcare for each EU-citizen. There should be centralised oversight of provisions and standards. An independent mechanism for EU wide recognition of qualifications for medical and health care professionals
should be developed and implemented.”

Sub issue: Towards a common health care system in Europe
– Do we need common European health care system, or just common standards for national systems?
– Do we need an independent, central EU supervising authority?
– What is the role which can be played by industry and civil society in improving European health care?
l What mechanisms should be created for EU-wide recognition of qualifications for medical and health care professionals?

15:00 – 16:00 — Panel debate – Health care challenges
Jaromir Pastorek – President of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Darina Sedláková – Director of the WHO office in Slovakia
Miklós Pásztor – Councillor of the European Economic and Social Commitee CORVINUS University of Budapest
Hristo Hinkov – Director of the Health Program of Open Society Institute  

Recommendation made by citizens: “For the purposes of disease prevention and the reduction of health risks, the EU should
encourage Member States to place greater emphasis on health promotion. Funds should be earmarked for compulsory examination
of the whole population, in accordance with the principle “prevention is less expensive that treatment”. The EU should
develop global disease prevention campaigns, particularly for HIV, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.”

Sub issue: Better health promotion in Europe
– Is the EU prepared for pandemics?
– What coordination / common approach is needed?
– What can the EU do to foster good health in an ageing society?
– What are the main obstacles to more effective health promotion and disease prevention policies?

16:00 — End