The key role of HCPs for a healthier Europe
Combining the protection of patients' rights with skills shortage,
medical desertification and job strain

20 March 2024 | 16:30 – 18:30
Room ASP 3H1 | European Parliament, Brussels

PROGRAMME
Click on the names to download the presentations

The celebration of the XVIII edition of the European Patients’ Rights Day, as always promoted at the EU Parliament by Active Citizenship Network, the EU branch of the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva, has been devoted to the key role of the health workforce.
Doctors, nurses and all the HCPs are a fundamental pillar to move towards more resilient national healthcare Systems, but they are facing a crisis with considerable concern from all stakeholders, institutional and non-institutional.
The pandemic has exacerbated existing problems (job strain, skill shortage, medical desertification), and raised new challenges, such as how to be better prepared for future health threats.
In this context, the right to health is at stake: neglecting the health workforce crisis jeopardises current and future preventive and care options for citizens & patients, as weel as the mutual trust & dialogue between health care professionals and the population.
The paradox is that, even with common goals to be reached, the categories of healthcare professionals and Patients’ Advocacy Groups (PAGs) are not in touch about it, and do not advance in a coordinated way.   
In view of this scenario, Active Citizenship Network - the European branch of the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva - decided to dedicate the annual celebration of the European Patients' Rights Day to the health workers' crisis, bringing together European institutions, health workers' representatives and leaders of civil society and PAGs.

Moderator: Mariam Zaidi – journalist

16:30 – 16:40 Opening remarks

• Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament - Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Italy - Co-Chair of the MEPs Interest Group on "European Patients' Rights and Cross-Border Healthcare"
• Mariano Votta, Responsible for EU Affairs – Cittadinanzattiva APS-Active Citizenship Network

16:40 – 16:50 Health workforce challenges from the EU perspective

• Maya Matthews, Head of Unit State of Health, European Semester and Health Technology Assessment - DG SANTE, European Commission

16:50 – 17:00 Civic survey on health personnel

• Daniela Quaggia, Project Manager – Cittadinanzattiva APS-Active Citizenship Network

17:00 – 17:30 Roundtable discussion on job strain

• Cristina Rey-Valcárcel, European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES)
• Noel Abela, European Specialist Nurses Organisations (ESNO)
• Martina Giusti, Member of Studies and Action for Innovation in Healthcare (SAPIS), research center of FNO TSRM & PSTRP

17:30 – 18:10 Roundtable discussion on skills shortage & medical desertification

• Corinne Hinlopen, Health Advocate & AHEAD (Action for Health and Equity: Addressing medical Deserts) Project Lead – Wemos
• George Griffin, Past President - Federation of European Academies of Medicine and Emeritus Professor of Infectious Diseases and Medicine at St George's - University of London
• Oana Scarlatescu, Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships and Healthcare Systems - European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA)
• Lyudmil Ninov, BeWell (Blueprint alliance for a future health workforce strategy on digital and green skills), ERASMUS+ project lead & Programme Manager - European Health Management Association (EHMA)

18:10 - 18:30 Q&A and Final remarks

• Vytenis Andriukaitis, WHO Special Envoy for the European region, former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety
• Mariano Votta, Responsible for EU Affairs – Cittadinanzattiva APS-Active Citizenship Network

Endorsed by:

MEPs Interest Group "European Patients' Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare.

Media Partners:

With the unconditional support of:

To read the concept note of the 18th European Patients' Rights Day, click here.

To know more, click here.

To download the speakers' list, click here

To watch the photo gallery on Active Citizenship Network LinkedIn profile, click here

To read the press release, click here

Watch the video interviews realized by the journalist Mariam Zaidi on occasion of the European Patients’ Rights Day 2024 (click here for the Italian subtitled version).

Clippings, Interviews, Web & Press Articles:

• FEAM Newsletter (28 March 2024): “Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM) attends the XVIII European Patients’ Rights Day”

• HEALTH EUROPA (25th March 2024) "Healing the health workforce: A call to action for EU institutions" (EN)

• QUOTIDIANO SANITÀ (21 March, 2024): Giornata europea dei diritti delle persone assistite. L’appello dei Tsrm e Pstrp: “Il fattore del valore umano è risorsa fondamentale” (IT)

• TREND SANITÀ (18th March 2024): Il ruolo cruciale ma trascurato dei professionisti sanitari in Europa (IT)

• HEALTH EUROPA (12th March 2024): European Patients’ Rights Day: Addressing skills shortage, medical desertification and job strain

• EU HEALTH POLICY PLATFORM NEWSLETTER (6 March 2024) "20 March 2024 | European Parliament, Brussels: Celebration of the XVIII European Patients’ Rights Day" (EN)

• EU HEALTH POLICY PLATFORM (27 February 2024) "20 March 2024 | European Parliament, Brussels: Celebration of the XVIII European Patients’ Rights Day" (EN)

For more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(Page updated on April 2024)