NGO wants EU-wide health strategy

Health First Europe, an umbrella group for patient and healthcare workers’ representatives, will publish a report on Monday (19 March) claiming political support for a co-ordinated EU health strategy.

The Health First Europe survey of ‘healthcare and patient priorities’ polled a selection of MEPs, European Commission officials, government representatives and health lobbyists.

The 77 responses used for the report include 36 MEPs, 13 Commission officials and seven government officials from EU permanent representations. Answers were submitted anonymously.

Maya Parikh of Health First Europe said her group had been surprised to find that almost half of the respondents were in support of a single European healthcare system "common to all states, with a few state-specific rules to meet local needs".

"This is an area that’s jealously guarded by member states, but 41% of people in our survey said a unique healthcare system was a good idea," said Parikh. "That’s not a majority but I think it’s far more than would have said yes even ten years ago."

The 58% opposed to a European healthcare system argued that it would not leave enough room for local flexibility, that EU legislators were no better equipped than governments to evaluate healthcare needs and that there were too many questions about financing a single system.

Asked how the EU competence in healthcare should be extended, only 14% of respondents believed the current status quo could be maintained. A third said a future health treaty should allow the EU to legislate in every health area.

62% of respondents said future EU patient mobility policies should lead to ‘total freedom of choice’ when it comes to healthcare. Only a quarter voted for limited choice.

65% said there should be an EU agency to approve new medical technologies

But the majority thought information on cross-border healthcare should come from governments rather than the Commission.

Almost all - 87% - said patients should increas-ingly be encouraged to take care of their own health through lifestyle changes and self-monitoring.

Health First Europe has 24 member organisations, ranging from the European Federation of Nurses to the European Academy of Science and Arts.

Health First Europe, an umbrella group for patient and healthcare workers’ representatives, will publish a report on Monday (19 March) claiming political support for a co-ordinated EU health strategy.