The objectives of our work with the European Union institutions are to:
- Inform the College of EU public health and health service policy developments
- Promote RCP as a source of authoritative advice for EU officials Facilitate and influence EU health discussions
- Respond to relevant EU consultations
Below is a selection of our EU activities.
For further information contact Paul Belcher, RCP EU Government Affairs Advisor: pbelcher@euhealth.org
Highlights
Eu Sexual Health Forum
13 January 2010
The second meeting of the EU Sexual Health Forum took place this month. The Forum was launched in March 2009, with RCP among its founding members (see 13 March 2009), as a step towards developing an EU strategy on sexual health for young people.
Global Health
9 December 2009
The College has responded to a European Commission consultation
on "The EU role in Global Health" by highlighting the important role played by Universities and global health education programmes.
Climate Change and Health
19 November 2009
The College has joined health professional organisations across Europe in signing the "Prescription for a Healthy Planet" petition. This seeks to increase the focus on the health effects of climate change in the weeks leading up to the UN Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen on 7-18 December. Copies of the RCP supported publication "Public health benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions" will be distributed to conference delegates.
EU Alcohol and Health Forum
12 November
Dr Nick Sheron and Paul Belcher represented the College at the 5th plenary meeting of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum. The agenda included discussion of a new paper published in "Clinical Medicine" on "Britain's alcohol market: how minimum alcohol prices could stop moderate drinkers subsidising those drinking at hazardous and harmful levels".
Other background papers are available from pbelcher@euhealth.org.
2009 European Health Forum, Gastein, Austria
1-3 October 2009
This year’s annual conference focused on the impact of financial crisis on health. Paul Belcher, RCP Government Affairs Advisor, organised opening and closing plenary sessions which highlighted both the health challenges and possible policy responses. Speakers included RCP Fellows Professor Sir Michael Marmot and Professor Martin Mckee, and Honorary Fellows John Bowis CBE and EU Health Director-General Robert Madelin.
RCP Active at EU Presidency Alcohol Conference
21-22 September 2009
The Swedish Ministry of Health hosted an Expert Meeting on Alcohol and Health in Stockholm as part of its Presidency of the EU. The College was represented by President Ian Gilmore, who chaired a plenary session on protecting young people from advertising, and Dr Nick Sheron (RCP Representative on EU Alcohol Forum) who presented in a workshop on alcohol pricing.
RCP Roundtable: Training in Europe
13 July 2009
The RCP co-hosted a roundtable meeting in Brussels with the European Health Management Association to discuss the "Equivalence of Training Skills in the EU Healthcare Workforce". Read the presentations by Dr Andrew Goddard (RCP Director of Workforce), Pamela Brumter (European Commission), Deirdre Daly (President, European Midwives Association) and the agenda, list of participants and meeting report.
RCP Honours John Bowis MEP
1 July 2009
John Bowis OBE, former UK Health Minister and Member of the European Parliament, has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in recognition of his key role in promoting evidence-based health policies in Europe. Mr Bowis has been an extremely active member of the Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee over the last decade.
Sexual Health and Europe
29 June 2009
European Commission Director General Robert Madelin addressed the RCP EU Roundtable on Sexual Health and Europe by outlining current challenges facing Europe and EU level actions that can be taken. Keith Radcliffe also presented on behalf of the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (Europe).
EU Alcohol and Health Forum
30 April 2009
Dr Nick Sheron and Paul Belcher represented the College at the 2nd annual conference of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum. The College’s work commitment to the Forum was highlighted as an example of good practice in Director-General Robert Madelin’s opening presentation.
EU Health Workforce Green Paper
10 April 2009
The College has responded to a European Commission consultation on a "Green Paper on the European Workforce for Health". This follows several consultation meetings held at the College with Commission officials and RCP workforce leads including Dr Andrew "Bod" Goddard (Director, Workforce Unit).
RCP Joins EU Sexual Health Forum
13 March 2009
Dr Simon Barton and Paul Belcher represented the College at the first meeting in Brussels to launch an EU Sexual Health Forum. There was a particular focus on sexual health and young people.
Alcohol Marketing: President Ian Gilmore Presents EU Report
11 March 2009
RCP President Ian Gilmore (Chair) and Dr Peter Andersen (Member) presented the first report of the Science Group of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum.
The report examined the impact of alcohol marketing on consumption by young people and found consistent links.
Patient Safety: New EU Initiatives
22 January 2008
Paul Belcher (RCP) presented first reactions to new EU patient safety proposals at a meeting hosted by the European Health Management Association, Brussels. A key message was the need to collect validated data and share openly across the EU and ensure that other EU initiatives (EWTD, free movement of doctors) do not have unintended consequences for patient safety).
A discussion by the European Commission and John Scarpello FRCP/NPSA will be published in 'Clinical Medicine' (April 2009)
RCP Roundtable: Quality of Healthcare in Europe: What Role for the EU?
19 January 2009
Professor Martin Mckee FRCP (London School of Hygiene) and Robert Madelin (European Commission Director-General for Health) presented to an audience of RCP experts, government representatives and UK and EU stakeholder organisations, chaired by Dr Mike Cheshire (RCP Clinical Vice-President).
Joint Statement to EU Ministers:
Cross Border Healthcare
10 December 2008
RCP joined European medical, patient and consumer organisations in a joint statement calling on Ministers to respect safety and quality of care in current political negotiations over EU proposals on Patient's Rights to Cross Border Healthcare.
DH Consultation Response:
Patient's Rights to Cross Border Healthcare
3 December 2008
The RCP has responded to a DH Consultation on EU proposals to clarify patient's rights to cross border healthcare. The College welcomes the proposals but draws attention to the quality of care provided the EU as well as rights to access it.
RCP Roundtable:
Patient's Rights to Cross Border Healthcare
16 October 2008
John Bowis MEP, European Parliament Health Spokesman, visited the College to join a roundtable discussion of RCP experts and other stakeholders to help inform the European Parliament response to the EU proposal for a directive on patients' rights to cross-border healthcare (see 2 July below).
European Health Forum:
RCP among delegates meeting in Gastein, Austria
3 October 2008
RCP was again invited to play an active role in this keynote annual European health policy conference. The final plenary session 'Values in Health: Visions to Reality' was organised by Paul Belcher, RCP EU Government Affairs Advisor, and chaired by Professor Martin Mckee CBE FRCP.
Information to Patients:
RCP expresses concern to EU Commissioners
9 September 2008
RCP has joined medical, patient and consumer groups to express concern at EU proposals regarding the provision of medicines information to patients. This follows College concerns raised earlier this year (see 7 April 2008 below).
European Parliament Roundtable:
Rights to Cross Border Care
8 September 2008
Paul Belcher represented the College in this discussion of a new EU proposal on rights to cross border healthcare.
While welcoming legal rights to cross border care, he stressed the importance of quality and "rights to the right care".
The event was organised by the EU Standing Committee of Doctors
Patient Safety: RCP EU Roundtable
21 July 2008
Lee McGill, European Commission, visited the College to present plans for future EU proposals on patient safety to an audience of health sector and patient representatives as well as UK government officials. A report will be published in Clinical Medicine.
Nutrition:
EU Proposal to Regulate Food Information to Consumer
9 July 2008
The RCP has contributed to and supports the Position Paper of the European Public Health Alliance on the EU Proposal to Regulate Food Information to Consumer. Importantly, it urges the Commission to make the Traffic Light Labelling Scheme mandatory on front of packs throughout the EU.
EU proposal on patient's rights to cross border healthcare
2 July 2008
The RCP welcomes the European Commission's clarification of existing rules allowing patients to obtain certain NHS funded care elsewhere in the EU - in terms of how the costs of treatment will be met, responsibility for care etc. However, although access to cross border care may be improved through this proposal, the quality of healthcare delivered throughout the EU differs widely and attention should now be focused on improving quality and patient safety for all EU citizens as well as standards of training for EU health professionals.
Professor Ian Gilmore to Chair EU Alcohol Science Group
30 June 2008
RCP President Ian Gilmore has been elected to chair the scientific advisory group of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum which was set up in 2007 by the European Commission and composed of more than 40 European businesses and non-governmental organisations.
WHO European Ministerial Conference on Health Systems
25 June 2008
RCP Fellows Professors Martin Mckee and Sir Michael Marmot were among the speakers discussing "Health Systems, Health and Wealth" held in Tallinn, Estonia. The conference culminated in the adoption of the "Tallinn Charter on Health Systems" which seeks to foster political commitment and action to improve the functioning of health systems through improved performance assessment, transparency and accountability of health spending.
EU Green Paper on Health Workforce
8 May 2008
RCP workforce leads met European Commission officials in London for a first discussion of draft ideas for a forthcoming EU Green Paper on the European Health Workforce. The Green Paper will be launched in December 2008 followed by a consultation in 2009 - to which the RCP will respond.
Alcohol: EU Open Alcohol Forum
17 April 2007
Alcohol: Dr Nick Sheron and Paul Belcher represented the RCP at the EU Open Alcohol Forum
The Open Alcohol Forum is the annual conference of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum which provides an opportunity for non-members to take part in European level discussions. The conference also provided an opportunity to present the UK Alcohol and Health Alliance.
Patient Safety:
RCP Responds to European Commission Consultation
8 May 2008
On 25 March the European Commission launched an eight week public consultation to assist the development of new EU proposals later this year on general patient safety issues, including a detailed focus on healthcare associated infections. The results of the consultation are now available.
RCP Patient Involvement Initiatives Discussed at the European Patient's Forum
8 April 2008
At the Spring Conference in Brussels of the European Patient's Forum Paul Belcher (RCP) presented College initiatives to improve communication between patients and the medical profession in a workshop on 'Health Literacy and Information to Patients'.
Information to Patients:
RCP Responds to EU Consultation
7 April 2008
The College has responded to an EU consultation on legal proposals to harmonise information to patients on prescription-only medicines. The College expresses concern that patient care will be harmed not helped by the proposals and it has endorsed the response of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) which voices similar concerns.
RCP Roundtable on EU Cross Border Healthcare
17 January 2008
European Commission Director General Robert Madelin visited the College to present latest ideas on EU proposals to facilitate cross-border healthcare to an audience of UK stakeholders and government officials.