New Executive Committee members for EFN

The European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) organised its 87th General Assembly on 13-14 September 2007, in Brussels, where elections took place for the Executive Committee vacant positions, for a two years mandate (2007-2009). The EFN members elected a new President: Ms Grete Christensen (Danish Nurses Association - Denmark); a Treasurer: Mr. Pierre Théraulaz (Association Suisse des Infirmières et Infirmiers - Switzerland); and 2 new members of the Executive Committee: Mr Peter Carter (Royal College of Nursing - UK) and Aaldert Mellema (NU’91 – The Netherlands). It is with great pleasure that the EFN members welcomed these new members to the EFN Executive Committee and wishes them all success in their new posts within the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN). The EFN would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Annette Kennedy, EFN past President, for her engagement, leadership and support within the EFN.

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Fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe

The EFN Secretary General participated in the 57th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, held on 17-20 September 2007, in Belgrade, Serbia, where the representatives of the 53 Member States of WHO European Region discussed about health workforce policies in the European Region, and the progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the WHO European Region. The European health decision-makers highlighted the vital role of a skilled professional health workforce in strengthening health systems, and stressed the importance of health systems’ reaching the poor and vulnerable.

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Patient Safety Research Conference The EFN General Secretary participated in the International Conference on Patient Safety Research, held on 24-26 September 2007, in Porto, Portugal, which brought together researchers, policy makers, and research commissioners from across Europe, in order to develop a common research agenda for the Patient Safety. Unfortunately, the clinicians were absent. It became clear that further efforts are needed to develop the dialogue between researchers and policy-makers. The ‘Mix It’ session was a brilliant initiative providing an informal and interactive forum for delegates and providing the opportunity to review some of the research abstracts in more detail and consider some ‘big picture’ questions in patient safety research. It became clear that strong consortiums, cost-effectiveness and impact assessments of research outcomes are needed next to bridging the gap between the researchers and the politicians. During the event it was announced that the EU projects on Patient Safety, to which EFN signed up, has been signed by the Commission.

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European Ombudsman urges the European Commission to address the complaint on Working Time Directive

The European Ombudsman recently sent a report to the European Parliament, criticising the European Commission for not addressing the complaint of a German doctor regarding the European Working Time Directive. Despite pressure from the Ombudsman, the Commission did not take action, arguing that its proposals for amending the directive are before the Community legislator. The Ombudsman considers this inaction to be maladministration and has brought the case before the European Parliament.

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