WMJ 05 2011 - World Medical Association

National and Regional news
News from the Standing Committee of
European Doctors (CPME)
Introduction
At its board meeting in April 2011, the
CPME (Standing Committee of European
Doctors) adopted a number of policies
which demonstrate the variety of health
policy of interest to the European Medical
Profession.
Furthermore, the current revision of the
Professional Qualifications Directive, the
Commission’s work on a European Professional
Card and last but not least, the review
of the European Working Time Directive
are high on the European doctors’ agenda
and the CPME is busy consulting its members
for the best way forward at European
level.
Outcome of the CPME board
meeting in April 2011
European Innovation Partnership
on Active and Healthy Ageing
At the EU Council meeting on 4 February
2011, Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-
Quinn stated:
“I am particularly pleased that EU leaders
gave the green light for the launch of the first
European Innovation Partnership. This will
be on the theme of active and healthy ageing,
and will aim to give the average European
two more years of good health. As well as having
enormous benefits for older people and their
families, this would contribute to relieving the
strain on public finances”.
In a very short time, the European Commission
kick-started the European Innovation
Partnership on Active and Healthy
Ageing which involves three different Directorates-General:
DG Health and Consumer,
DG Information Society and DG
Research. This multi-disciplinary approach
is very much appreciated by the CPME
which in the past has stressed the need for a
holistic approach to health policies.
The Commission, Member States and a
number of selected stakeholders (among
which there is the CPME) have formed a
Steering Group which sets out the strategy
to achieve the overall goal, namely to give
the average European two more years of good
health.
The CPME participates very actively
in the work as member of the Steering
Group through its president, Dr Konstanty
Radziwill, but already at its board meeting
the CPME adopted a Statement CPME
2011/066 FINAL. In its statement, the
CPME defines the main principles to be
considered in order to make this partnership
successful: while the CPME stresses
the important role of eHealth in contributing
innovative solutions to long-term
chronic care, other more basic issues need
to be addressed for the initiative to make a
measurable impact. These issues include the
changes needed for the healthcare workforce
and roles, better integration of social
and medical care, improved flows of information
across boundaries between primary,
secondary and social care, reducing multiple
prescribing (polypharmacy) and improving
patient involvement through enhanced
communication and information, just to
mention a few.
The CPME will remain an active partner
in this worthy undertaking and looks forward
to achieving the goal together with the
other stakeholders.
Health inequalities
As mentioned above, the CPME recognises
the need for a holistic approach to health
policy and its latest policy on health inequalities.
CPME 2011/019 FINAL analyses
three major reasons for caring about
health inequalities. The first is that avoidable
health inequalities are simply and many
would say immorally unfair. The second is
that avoidable health inequalities often infringe
an internationally acknowledged human
right to health. The third is that health
inequalities are economically costly – societies
with smaller health disparities do better
in economic terms than societies with
wider health inequalities.
The statement proposes concrete actions
which the CPME and its members can
undertake to contribute to the fight against
health inequalities.
The CPME also referred to the six policy
recommendations for reducing health inequalities
recently made in Sir Michael
Marmot’s UK report on health inequalities
1 .
These are:
1. “Give every child the best start in life: increase
the proportion of overall expenditure
allocated to the early years and ensure it is
focused progressively across the [health inequalities]
gradient;
2. Enable all children, young people, and
adults to maximise their capabilities and
have control over their lives: reduce the
social gradient in skills and qualifications;
3. Create fair employment and good work for
all: improve quality of jobs across the social
gradient;
4. Ensure a healthy standard of living for all:
reduce the social gradient through progressive
taxation and other fiscal policies;
1 Marmot M. Strategic review of health inequalities
in England post 2010. Marmot review final
report. University College London.
www.ucl.ac.uk/gheg/marmotreview/Documents
194