Last updated: 04 September 2008

President’s Message

Dear EFN Members and Colleagues,


I hope you all have had a peaceful summer and are ready to take up the many challenges we will face in the times to come.

 

In the EU, the Commission is taking many different initiatives regarding Health. I hope it will lead to results that can create better lives for all European citizens, and can reduce inequities. I find it positive that the citizens of Europe have the possibility to provide input to DG SANCO work plan 2009.

 

WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health reports that inequities are killing people in a grand scale. And it is well known that all over the world inequities in all its faces increase mortality and take away the possibility for millions of people to have a good and healthy life. 

 

The new Eurostat report on EU demographics shows a disturbing demographic development in Europe. That will in the worst case have negative influence not only to the ageing citizens, but also to the nursing workforce which will be challenged. Good healthy conditions for European citizens require good working and living conditions for our members.

 

The next EFN General Assembly will take place in Cyprus on 2-3 October, where we will take up some of these challenges.

 

                                               Grete Christensen

                                                    EFN President

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04 September 2008



News from EFN

 

EFN autumn General Assembly

The EFN is organising its 89th General Assembly, to take place in Larnaca, Cyprus, on 2-3 October 2008, where important issues related to EFN and EFN lobby process within the European arena will be discussed: the EFN lobby priorities and outcomes linked to the EFN Strategic and Operational Lobby Plan 2009-2013 & to the EFN Committees’ work plans 2009; the EFN Position Statements on Synergy between DIRECTIVE 36, Bologna and EQF,  on Skill Needs, Skill Mix and Task Shifting in Nursing and on Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare Directive; and the projects in which EFN is involved (EUNetPaS, Mobility of Health Professionals). The EFN Members will also elect new Members for the Executive Committee (Vice-President, two Executive Committee Members (2008-2010), and one Executive Committee Member (2008-2009) to finalise the term of office of Mr Aaldert Mellema).

Update


News from the EU

The EC is looking for nurses

The European Commission is looking for nurses to draw up a reserve list from which to fill vacant posts in a medical service or nursery of the European Commission. The posts to be filled require a level of post-secondary education attested by a nursing diploma and no professional experience is required. The deadline for applications is: 16 September 2008.

 

For further information, click here.

Update


Provide your input to DG SANCO work plan 2009

The European Commission DG Health and Consumer Protection, is for the first time, providing the European citizens the opportunity to provide their input on which priorities should be included in the Health Work Plan for 2009 of the Public Health Programme 2008-2013. The scope of the work plan must be within the objectives of the overall programme: to improve citizens' health security; to promote health, including the reduction of health inequalities; and to generate and disseminate health information and knowledge. The deadline to provide your input is 30 September 2008.

 

For further information, click here.


Update

 

EU cross-border healthcare

Struggled to defend the proposal against hesitations over the legal workability of the system, during a meeting with stakeholders, Robert Madelin, Director General at the European Commission DG Health and Consumer Protection, predicted that early discussions on the recent draft directive cross-border healthcare aiming to ease reimbursement of the health care European citizens receive while visiting other EU countries signalled "the beginning of a long row". Mr. Madelin also suggested that discussions could take many years. According to him, the draft directive only "streamlines the rights that the Court has already delivered".

Update

Eurostat report on EU Demographics

Eurostat published a report that shows that today's ratio of four working-age people per pensioner would be reduced to just two within the next fifty years, creating a real pensions 'timebomb' on the continent. The situation would be worst in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia, where emigration means there could be as few as 1.5 working age people per pensioner. The blow would be softened slightly in countries like Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, where population growth is likely to be stronger, notably thanks to higher levels of immigration. According to the European Commission, ageing represents just as big a problem as the challenges of globalisation and climate change, which will require governments to raise employment rates and reform their pension, healthcare and long-term care systems.

 

To read the report, click here.