2022
In February 2022, the European Commission launched a Call for Evidence for their upcoming Recommendation to Member States for greater action on Antimicrobial Resistance. Here is our contribution.
2021 || News
The European AMR Patient Group invites you to fill in the pan-European survey to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and health-associated infections (HAIs) among 5 European countries, namely Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
2021 || News, Press release
For World Patient Safety Day, Health First Europe (HFE) today published a comprehensive Insight Report entitled The Compelling Case for Better Screening and Patient Safety in Europe: The Example of Five Common Diseases on five disease areas that affect millions of European citizens each year and how the European Union could and should do a better job for its citizens. The report focuses on breast cancer, type 2 Diabetes, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), heart failure and severe combined immune deficiencies (SCID).
2021 || Editorial, News
Patient safety is an essential metric when it comes to building resilient public healthcare systems both at the European and global level. It is also indispensable in the provision of health care in all settings including hospitals and long-term care facilities.
2021 || Event summary, News
The event and launch of the ENSH report on “INCREASING ADHERENCE TO CAUTI GUIDELINES: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXISTING EVIDENCE’’ was held on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 via videoconference.
2020 || Event summary
Read the event summary of our virtual roundtable entitled “Preventing infections in the surgical care pathway to tackle antimicrobial resistance”.
2020 || Press release
Health First Europe today launches a new Insight Report titled ”Identifying the gaps between evidence and practice in the prevention of surgical site infections”
2020 || Editorial, News
In the frame of the campaign for the Declaration for Patient Safety, Health First Europe collaborated with the Spanish region of Navarre to publish an article on the best practices for safety and quality of care at the regional level.
2019 || News
We call on the European Commission to adopt a broad and coherent pan-European Infection Management Strategy addressing the health, social, economic and environment determinants, which influences infection diseases and considers the intrinsic links between antimicrobial resistance, prevention of HAIs and sepsis.
2019 || News
In the frame of the campaign for the Declaration for Patient Safety, Health First Europe collaborated with the Centre for Clinical Risk Management and Patient Safety of the Tuscan Region to publish an article about best practices on safety and quality of care at regional level.
2019 || Event summary
On 2nd October 2019, Health First Europe organised the “Data for safer care” workshop at the European Health Forum Gastein to explore the disruptive role of data in shaping effective patient safety strategies and develop effective healthcare-associated infections’ (HAIs) surveillance systems.
2019 || Event summary
The 3nd roundtable debate of the European Network for Safer Healthcare was organised by Health First Europe in the European Parliament on 25 September 2019, with the support of MEP Simona Bonafe (EPP, Portugal) and MEP Lieve Wierinck (ALDE, Belgium),.
2019 || Editorial, Members news
Sepsis is a clinical syndrome with a distinctive response of the body's defenses to life-threatening infections. This may result in organ dysfunction or failure (severe sepsis). Sepsis is strongly related with all the body organs or systemic diseases and to the quality of the best-practice in use, particularly critical in surgical or intervention techniques.
2019 || News
On the World Patient Safety Day, Health First Europe and the Spanish Patients' Forum join hands to call the Spanish minister to act to foster patient safety.
2018 || Editorial
The latest data released from the ECDC estimates that about 33000 people die each year as a direct consequence of an infection due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics and that the burden of these infections is comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
2018 || Editorial
On the occasion of the International Patient Safety Day (17th September 2018), Health First Europe, ESNO - European Specialist Nurses Organisations, COTEC - Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries and EUROFEDOP - European Federation of Public Service Employees, jointly call Ministers of Health to step up and agree on a high level of understanding on patient safety standards to drive their national policies into a common path.
2017 || Event summary
On 5 December 2017, policymakers and health representatives met to discuss and assess the current situation of patient safety in Europe and how eHealth technology could reduce adverse events in all healthcare settings.
2017 || News
On 3 May 2017, HFE attended the meeting of the MEPs Interest Group on European Patients’ Rights and Cross-border healthcare focused on “Patients’ Rights have no borders… As well as risks!”
2016 || Event summary
On 17th November 2016, in conjunction with the World Antibiotic Awareness Week, policy makers and health stakeholders met within the framework of the EP Interest Group on Innovation on health and social care to discuss how to tackle the global threat of antimicrobial resistance to improve patient safety.
2016 || Event summary
“Patient Safety needs to be integrated in the concept of quality of care” - Niek Klazinga OECD Health Division
2016 || Editorial
Editorial by MEP Piernicola Pedicini: As Member of the European Parliament and medical physicist, I think it is time we make real progress on patient safety. The EU is at a standstill when it comes to taking forward actions called for by the Parliament and the Council. Now it is time for action.
2015 || Editorial
Editorial by HFE President John Bowis: After two years of debate, the Council is close to finalizing its’ position on the medical devices directive. The MDD, as it’s known to most, was proposed in the aftermath of a scandal where patients were harmed due to fraud and lack of oversight in the approval of silicone breast implants (PIP).
2015 || News
On 12 May, HFE attended the 9th European Patients' Rights dedicated to sustainability of healthcare systems with a specific focus on the burned of chronic diseases. Organised by the Active Citizenship Network (ACN), the 9th edition of the European Patients' Rights Day represented a moment to reflect and discuss on the current state of the European Charter of Patients' rights launched in 2003 and to outline the future ACN actions particularly the establishment of a European Parliamentary interest group on European Patients' Rights and Cross-Border Healthcare.
2015 || Editorial
We all know that the European Union's current demographics are requiring a serious debate about the need to transform traditional healthcare systems. As patients, many of us have been calling for changes – eHealth implementation, access to care in the community, greater focus and accessibility to preventive services – but fundamental change of healthcare delivery lags behind our desires as consumers of health services. How much more patient should we be as patients? When will the focus of health policy shift to towards the patient and away from acute-only treatment?
2014 || Editorial
When you need medical treatment, do you ever wonder why some products and services are available and others aren't? Perhaps your friend in another country is able to get a treatment for a similar ailment that you can't? Editorial by HFE President John Bowis
2014 || Editorial
In 2014, Health First Europe will celebrate 10 years of working to ensure the well-being of European citizens by fostering access to the most innovative technologies to prevent, diagnose, monitor, manage, treat and cure diseases. Our work this year will continue to build upon our belief that “health is wealth” by aiming for more sustainable healthcare in Europe, supporting patients to seek trusted information, protecting patients in health settings and making innovations in health systems more accessible to patients.
2013 || Press release
To empower citizens to manage their own health, every European citizen should have access to a personalised health management plan including information on prevention and screening.
2013 || News
Health First Europe attended the 3rd Coordination Meeting of the EU network on patient safety and quality of care in Paris, France. The meeting brought together partners of the project to update members on each of the seven work packages and discuss upcoming tasks and deliverables for 2013.
2013 || Editorial
Access for patients to medical technologies is a key issue in Europe right now, particularly due to discussions on changing rules of approval for medical devices as well as the concluding discussions in the European Parliament regarding patient safety in healthcare settings.
2013 || News
On 30 May, Health First Europe attended the European Parliament’s workshop co-chaired by the Rapporteur and Shadow Rapporteurs on the Own-initiative report on ‘Patient Safety’. The draft report will be considered in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on 20 June and the workshop provided an ideal setting to explore the various challenges faced by the EU and Member States for protecting patients while receiving care.
2013 || Press release
Health First Europe considers that safety, transparency and access should form the basis of the new legislation on medical devices, but believes that the legislation in its current form would negatively impact the accessibility for patients to life-saving medical technologies.
2013 || News
Health First Europe continued its participation as a collaborating partner in the European Network for Patient Safety and Quality of Care during the second coordination of the network in Berlin, Germany.
2013 || Editorial
Health First Europe has always believed that by bringing together all health stakeholders, solutions for challenges in healthcare can be found that benefit all patients. In 2012, we continued in our conviction that together we could better protect patients and improve access to treatment.
2012 || Event summary
On 27 November, Health First Europe together with MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) organised a follow-up roundtable debate on Advancing patient safety in the EU: Reducing healthcare associated infections in the European Parliament from 14.00 - 16.30. This event brought together high-level stakeholder to discuss the current state of infection control in Europe and the next steps for reducing HCAIs.
2012 || News
Health First Europe welcomes the European Commission report published today outlining the progress achieved by Member States since the adoption of the Council Recommendations on patient safety in 2009.
2012 || News
The Seminar brought together representatives from the EU institutions to give their perspectives on the proposal for a revised Medical Devices Directive published by the European Commission in September.
2012 || Event summary
Health First Europe held an invitation-only roundtable event on 24 April in the European Parliament to debate the Future of Patient Safety in Europe. Under the Sponsorship of MEP Christofer Fjellner, (EPP, Sweden), the event was chaired by HFE Honorary President John Bowis.
2012 || Event summary
Opening Health First Europe’s Open Forum Debate on Patient Safety, Patron of the Health First Europe Task Force on Patient Safety and HFE MEP Supporter Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) began by stating, “We can do more to protect patients.”
2012 || News
EU policymakers should strengthen the standards for patient safety in Member States, adopt measurable targets on patient safety, and develop a European strategy to combat the incidence of HAIs, according to Health First Europe's Recommendations on Patient Safety launched today.
2011 || News
On 8 November, Health First Europe attended the lunch debate in the European Parliament entitled "Patient Safety and biological medicines: what matters?" The event was organised by the Parliament Magazine and Novo Nordisk, in association with EuropaBio.
2011 || News
7 September 2011 – Health First Europe together with Task Force Patron MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden), today launched the Task Force on Patient Safety to demand more stringent recommendations for Member States with regards to the safety of patients.
2011 || Editorial
In the run up to the United Nations (UN) “High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases” also known as the UN Summit on NCDs the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) has been carrying out a number of activities to ensure that there is a strong patient voice in the development of strategies to fight NCDs.
2011 || Editorial
Though we live in countries with well-funded and advanced healthcare settings, we all know that receiving medical treatment inevitably carries risk with it. However, less is known about the procedures in place to minimise the risk of adverse events. Should I be scared to enter a healthcare setting? How do I know if the hospital where I am treated has a procedure in place to minimise risk so that it is not complicated by an infection?
2011 || News
On the occasion of the 5th Annual European Patients’ Rights Day, the European Economic and Social Committee together with the Active Citizenship Network organised a conference to discuss “Putting Citizens at the Centre of EU Health Policy.” Attended by a broad array of patients’ organisations, the conference aimed to emphasise the outcomes of a project undertaken by Active Citizenship Network members to determine how the rights of patients within the European Union are respected. The report suggests that the rights of patients – as outlined by the European Charter of Patients’ Rights – are not being fully respected and that much work still needs to be done to ensure patient empowerment so that all citizens understand how to take full advantage of their rights as patients.
2011 || News
The Hungarian Presidency took over the rotating presidency of the European Union from Belgium on 1st January this year. In terms of health priorities, the Hungarian Presidency’s overarching theme will focus on “Patient and Professional Pathways in Europe”.
2010 || Event summary
On 23 March 2010, Health First Europe (HFE) celebrated the adoption by the EPSCO Council of the Directive implementing the Framework Agreement on the prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector.
2010 || News
Health First Europe (HFE) welcomes the adoption, at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), of the Council Directive implementing the Framework Agreement on the prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare.
2010 || Editorial
New legislation was recently passed by the EU to protect Europe’s healthcare workers from potentially fatal blood-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. John Bowis, Health First Europe (HFE) Honorary President, comments on the new directive and its significance to paramedic practice.
2010 || News
The European Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy, the Maltese John Dalli faced a public hearing on Thursday 14th January by the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) in association with the EP Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committ
2009 || Event summary
Health First Europe’s roundtable in the European Parliament was co-hosted by MEPs Liz Lynne (ALDE, UK) and Amalia Sartori (EPP, Italy) and focused on the significant burden of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) on Europe’s healthcare systems. The event highlighted how European healthcare systems are in crisis, requiring urgent and concrete EU action.
2009 || News
Throughout the week of 5-9 January 2009, Health First Europe (HFE) is holding an exhibition in the European Parliament, in Brussels, under the patronage of MEP Elizabeth Lynne, with the aim of raising awareness on the quality and safety of patients and health care workers in Europe.
2008 || News
The European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs called for better protection of healthcare workers against needlestick and medical sharp injuries as well as better protection of patients and healthcare workers from healthcare-associated infections.
2008 || News
HFE welcomes the European Commission's goal of increasing patient safety in the EU by consulting health stakeholders and civil society. HFE is now looking forward to the upcoming European Commission Communications on Patient Safety and on Healthcare Associated Infections, which are expected towards the end of 2008.
2006 || News
On 20 January 2006, Health First Europe submitted its response to the European Commission's consultation on healthcare related infections (HAIs)
2004 || News
HFE held a special event in the European Parliament to raise awareness amongst decision makers and the public about the risks of sharps’ injuries to healthcare workers and the risk of infection with HIV, Hepatitis or other fatal infections.
2004 || News
More than 20 dangerous blood-borne pathogens are transmitted by contaminated needles including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and of course HIV. These injuries are preventable!
2004 || News
HFE welcomes the conclusions on patient mobility adopted in Luxembourg by European Union Health Ministers, but urges the EU to further focus on encouraging and simplifying patient access to modern, efficient, innovative and reliable medical technology and healthcare.
