On 18 April Active Citizenship Network and its partners celebrated the  second European Patients’ Rights Day in 26 countries. There were more than 80 initiatives at national and local level. These initiative received the patronage of the European Parliament, the European Commisson (Commissioner Androulla Vassilliou and the Representation in Italy) and the European Economic and Social Committee.
To support the recognition of the 18th of April as the official European Patients’ Rights Day by the EU institutions, please sign our petition.

 

 

Why a European Patients’ Rights Day?

 

Active Citizenship Network (ACN) together with a group of European citizens organizations in 2002 established a European Charter of Patients’ Rights, which includes the following 14 rights: the right to preventive measures, access, information, consent, free choice, privacy, confidentiality, respect of patients’ time, observance of quality standards, safety, innovation, avoidance of unnecessary suffering and pain, personalized treatment, to complain, to receive compensation.

 

All these rights, based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, are fundamental in relation to European citizens and healthcare services.

 

The reinforcement of these rights will become effective only with the cooperation and commitment of all healthcare stakeholders in every EU country. It is thus essential to increase awareness regarding the importance of patients’ rights and everyone’s responsibilities in guaranteeing their respect. ACN believes that celebrating a European Patients’ Rights Day every year on the same date 18 April in all EU Member States would greatly contribute to this goal. It would be a common occasion to inform, discuss and take commitments to improve patients’ rights in Europe.

 

The main objective is to disseminate the European Charter of Patients’ Rights among the general public as well as raise the awareness of the various actors of national health care systems to discuss common strategies to improve the implementation of patients’ rights.

 

A variety of materials were developed to be distributed during the various celebrations thorough out Europe: posters, leaflets, banners, ballons, and buttons.  There are still a number of ways that you can get involved in promoting a European Patients' Rights Day.

 

In addition to the numerous activities that took place in the various countries there was a European Conference on 18 April in Gorizia, Italy, “European Patients’ Rights: a European and national challenge”. The conference dealt specifically with the the impact of patients’ mobility on European patients’ rights.