DG Internal Market – Evaluation Directive 36

The EFN participated in the conference organised on 17 March 2010, by DG Internal Market, to discuss the evaluation process of DIR36. The European professional organisations present were informed on several key points, namely that: the evaluation should take up to 2 years; data on indicators will be collected; the EU stakeholders and their networks will be involved, as well as people on the ground; and that experts will be appointed to do the evaluation. During the discussion several questions were raised, particularly on: mobility; impact of educational reforms and technological advancements; the role of professional bodies; and the automatic recognition of the sectoral professions (nurses (EFN), midwives (EMA), doctors (CPME), pharmacists (PGEU), dentists (CED), veterinary doctors (FVE), and architects (ACE-CAE)) – the participants highlighted its importance in enabling mobility and simplifying the recognition process. Bologna process was also discussed and identified as not facilitating mobility of existing professionals, but rather focussing on students. Mr. Jürgen Tiedje, from DG Internal Market, noted that the principles of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) (education & training) are different from the Directive 36 (mobility), having different aims and different focus. Therefore, the two need to remain separated for serving their distinct roles. The 5 sectoral health professions (EFN, CPME, PGEU, CED, EMA) will follow-up the discussions and set a common position.

Conference on “Nursing Carrier and Nursing Education”

The EFN was invited to participate in the conference on “Nursing carrier and nursing education” organised on 19 March 2010, in Slovenia, in collaboration with the Slovenian Nursing Chamber, the Ministry of health, and WHO Office in Slovenia. The conference focussed on DIR36 & Workforce. In Slovenia, too many non qualified nurses (70%) form the health workforce, in contrast to the registered Nurses (30%). In comparison with many other EU Member States, Slovenia starts having unemployment numbers for both categories. From WHO presentation, Slovenia has 735 nurses per 100.000 population, putting Slovenia safely in the middle of the benchmark average. Knowing that “DIR 36 NURSES” are 30%, the graph will change and this addresses again the issue of comparable data! In its presentation on “Implementation of DIR 36, Workforce and Quality/safety”, the EFN General Secretary stressed the importance of focusing on patient outcomes: pressure scores, medication errors, infections, patient complaints, to measure quality and safety.

News from the EU

New EU legislation to reduce injuries for healthcare workers in Europe

The EU Employment and Social Affairs Ministers adopted, on 8 March 2010, a Directive to prevent injuries and infections to healthcare workers from sharp objects such as needlesticks - estimated to cause 1 million injuries each year. The new Directive, which implements in law a framework agreement on prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector signed in July 2009 by the European Public Services Union (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers' Association (HOSPEEM), aims to: achieve the safest possible working environment for healthcare workers, as well as for patients; prevent injuries to workers caused by all types of sharp medical objects (including needlesticks); and set up an integrated approach to assessing and preventing risks as well as to training and informing workers. The EFN welcomes the adoption of this Directive, as a demonstration of the positive practical impact of the European Union. As a concrete follow-up, the Spanish General Council of Nursing, a member of EFN, is organising an EU Summit on Sharps Injuries on 1-2 June 2010, supported by the Spanish EU Presidency, focusing specifically on the way to implement the Directive at national, regional and local level.

EU 2020 Strategy

On 10 March 2010, the MEPs adopted a resolution on the EU strategy for 2020 (by 462 votes in favour, 140 against, and 58 abstentions). MEPs consider that the EU 2020 Strategy must provide an effective response to the economic and financial crisis. They also believe that the Lisbon Strategy failed due to the absence of efficient incentives and binding instruments at EU level. For this reason, they urge the European Council to abandon the “Open Coordination Method” based on the “exchange of best practices” and to use the Lisbon Treaty to coordinate better the economic reforms and action plans of Member States. The MEPs also stressed that to combat high and growing unemployment, the EU must implement its ambitious social agenda, which includes fighting poverty, discrimination and social exclusion, keeping people at school longer and promoting lifelong learning. Finally, the European Parliament is asking the European Commission to propose new measures, and possible sanctions, to deal with Member States that do not implement the EU 2020 Strategy, as well as incentives for those that do so.

For further information, click here.