Last updated: 1st March 2010

President’s Message


Dear EFN Members and Colleagues,


Nurses and nursing are under change in many ways. The financial crisis has now moved into a severe economical crisis which has impact in all our member countries in various ways. In all our member countries it challenges nurses working conditions and pay in a negative way, and is endangering patient safety.

 

As mouthpiece for 6 million nurses in Europe, it is important that we defend nurses and nursing and put focus on the professions’ strength and possibilities. We are, and will still be keeping focus on our priorities and work targeted with focus on the profession, health and safety, and quality in care. We are open to new challenges as task shifting if it improves patient care.

 

As it appears in this update we are in a constructive way working for the benefit of patients and nurses, in fact for the benefit of the citizens of Europe who deserves care with high patient safety and of high quality when needed. It requires nurses with decent working conditions, decent pay and of course the possibility for Continuous Professional Development.

 

                                               Grete Christensen

                                                    EFN President

 

Welcome to our most recent Update. If you would like to visit the original EFN website, please click here

               Content index


Click one of the links below to navigate through the contents

Related pictures

  • cube01
  • cube01
  • cube01


EFN UPDATE - MARCH 2010



News from EFN

 

4th EUNetPaS Coordination Meeting

The EFN participated in the 4th EUNetPaS coordination meeting and workshops held in Athens - Greece, on 29 January 2010, where the participants were updated on the overall progress of the project and different work packages. A discussion took place regarding the follow-up of EUNetPaS in the format of a Joint Action mechanism which was received favourably by EUNetPaS Member States and partners. The EFN took this opportunity to stress the importance of pan-European stakeholders’ engagement and inclusion in decision making in order to step out of isolated developments, moving into an EU community joint level with mutual learning and best practice exchange on patient safety. The EFN had the opportunity to present the work done by the EFN members on using the Social Cohesion Funds (SCF) to invest in the training of Europe’s nurses, such as Poland receiving over 40 million Euros from the SCF to invest in advancing the training of 36.000 nurses. The social cohesion funds could be used way much more to implement the patient safety Council recommendations.

 

For further information, click here.

 

Update

Working Groups on Patient Safety and Quality of Care & on EU Workforce for Health

Being a member of the European Commission Patient Safety & Quality of Care Working Group of the High Level Group on Health Care, the EFN participated in the meeting organised on 2 February 2010, in Brussels, where the revised version of the reflection paper on healthcare quality was discussed, as well as how the work of the WHO and of the OECD on patient safety and quality could be linked to the implementation of the Council Recommendation on patient safety. The European Commission highlighted the importance of the EU in supporting quality in healthcare based on principles of patient centeredness and empowerment. The EFN took this opportunity to stress the importance of including the health professionals in the discussions and the important role they jointly have to play in making a difference in daily practice. Finally, the OECD presented the work being done on its various healthcare indicators and informed of the Ministerial Conference 7-8 October 2010, in which the matter of Quality in healthcare will be discussed. WHO followed with a presentation on WHO Patient Safety projects, initiatives, and partnerships and welcomed collaboration with the High Level Group, and EUNetPaS. A proposal for possible collaboration between the High Level Group, WHO, and the OECD will be drafted and presented for discussion at the next High Level Group meeting.

 

The EFN also participated in the EU Workforce for Health Working Group meeting held on 3 February 2010, in Brussels, where the participants were informed/discussed on several topics: Green paper on EU Workforce for Health; Belgian EU Presidency; EU Projects (PROMETHEUS, MOHPROF and RN4CAST); and WHO Code of Practice. The European Commission informed the members that there is great support for EU action as regard to key topics addressed in the Green Paper while preserving the principle of subsidiary. The Belgium EU Presidency outlined its plans for organising a Summit on the EU workforce for Health (9-10 September 2010) leading to Council Conclusions on the topic. EFN and CPME are the key partners in organising the conference. The EFN is working closely with the Belgium EU Presidency in preparing a policy dialogue in May, preparing the Summit key political focus areas. MoHProf and RN4CAST provided an update on the progress of the projects and WHO provided input to the ongoing political discussion on the development of the WHO code for ethical recruitment of health personnel. DG Internal Market informed the members on the work starting as regards the evaluation report of DIR36. The EFN invited DG Internal Market to discuss this issue in the High Level Group as governments, surprisingly, react to shortage by cutting down nurses’ education, even with facing an infringement procedure. Furthermore, the EFN follows up DG Internal Market in the evaluation of DIR36, in collaboration with other health stakeholders (with a meeting on 17 March 2010).

 

Update

OECD Meeting on the Advanced Roles of Nurses

The EFN participated in the meeting on “Advanced Roles of Nurses” hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on 11-12 February 2010, in Paris – France, to discuss the preliminary findings of a study undertaken by the OECD Health Division, and co-funded by DG Sanco, to review and evaluate recent developments in the implementation of advanced practice roles for nurses in 13 OECD developed countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Poland, United Kingdom, and United States). The main recommendation of the study relates to the development of national legislation, education, payment systems, evaluation and research. A discussion on Health Workforce Planning came upfront as a pre-condition if we want to develop new skills for new jobs. This study report is very important for the EFN members providing input on the national developments on ‘prescribing drugs’ and nurse led discharge, two topics which could fit the Belgium EU Presidency.