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BMA work on European issues

November 2008

BMA work on European issues

The BMA has a small European office, based in Brussels, which monitors and reports on European legislation and other initiatives of relevance to the UK medical profession, and builds contacts with European institutions.

Together with other European medical organisations the BMA has:

• Campaigned successfully to extend the Working Time Directive to cover junior doctors and to phase out the individual opt-out. Judgements from the European Court of Justice have confirmed that on-call time should continue to be counted as working time, rather than rest. This means that all time spent by junior doctors in hospitals will be covered by the weekly working time limits.
• Led the way in campaigning for health to be removed from the scope of the EU Directive on Services. Including health would have made it easier for medical service providers from other member states to provide services in the UK without complying with UK standards and regulations.
• Pro-actively and successfully opposed plans to allow EU doctors to practise in the UK for up to four months without registering with the GMC – this could have had implications for patient safety.
• Secured key amendments to the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications Directive which makes it easier for UK trained doctors to work in other EEA countries and increases the number of medical qualifications entitled to automatic recognition across the EU. We have also successfully lobbied to tighten up language requirements for EU doctors coming to the UK to work under the Qualifications Directive. Further, we led the way in ensuring that doctors with third country qualifications (obtained outside the EEA) are treated in the same way as those who have qualified in the EU (once their qualifications have been recognised within an EU country).

A presentation on the work of the BMA Brussels Office can be read by clicking the link on the right hand side of this page.

Current and future priorities
A key development and priority at European level is a new proposal on cross border patient mobility. The BMA had originally called for health services to be removed from the scope of the original EU Directive on Services and, following sustained lobbying, was successful. In September 2006, the European Commission consulted health stakeholders on a new proposal addressing patient and professional mobility.

Then, on 2 July 2008, the European Commission released a proposal for a Directive on the application of patients’ right in cross border healthcare. This aims to clarify the existing rules for patients who wish to receive healthcare in another member state and claim the cost back from their home health system. Members can read an overview of the proposals by clicking the link on the right hand side of this page.

The full BMA response to the draft directive can be read by clicking the link on the right hand side of this page.

The BMA is also working on the issue of information to patients. The European Commission is due to release proposals in 2008 which will relax the rules on providing information to patients on prescription-only drugs. The BMA’s position on this can be read at: http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/PDFEUinformationpatient/$FILE/BMAresponsepatientinformation.pdf

The BMA has also added its signature to a joint letter written by the consumer group Which? and signed by a number of UK health stakeholders. The letter is addressed to the EU Enterprise Commissioner and UK MEPs and calls on decision makers to protect patients from the dangers of advertising and mis-information. The letter can be read here.

In addition, the Brussels Office is working closely with the BMA junior doctor committee on the revision of the European Working Time Directive. Following a series of meetings with key UK MEPs in October 2008, the BMA has produced a lobbying document which sets out the BMA view on key elements of the revision of the EWTD. The document can be read here: http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/EWTDamends2008

The BMA is also monitoring other European initiatives which may result in policy and/or legislation affecting our members, including:

• EU work on patient safety
• The European Commission’s eHealth action plan. This includes issues such as the European electronic patient record, confidentiality, patient information on treatment in other member states, and evaluating new health technology
• The European Commission’s recent strategy for reducing alcohol related harm and establishing the EU Alcohol and Health Forum
• EU work on climate change and the role of health professionals
• EU work on obesity, diet and exercise
• Review of EU contribution to the Global Fund on HIV/TB and malaria

European Forum
The Brussels Office also acts as secretariat for the BMA European Forum.
This grouping consists of BMA members and other relevant health stakeholders with an interest in EU health issues. It meets twice a year in London. The current chair of the forum is Dr Edwin Borman and the next meeting of the forum will take place on 22 April 2009. The terms of reference of the Forum are available at http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Euroforum. For further information contact Nicola While - nwhile@bma.org.uk