Euro Brief
July 2008
For further information on any of these news items, please contact: nwhile@bma.org.uk
Contents
Cross border patient mobility: new proposal released
European Commission recommendation on e-Health
Health priorities of the French EU Presidency
MEPs adopt strict rules for food additives
Free fruit and vegetables for schools
House of Lords report into EU organ donation
BMA Brussels Office presentation
Cross border patient mobility: new proposal released
The European Commission has finally released its long awaited proposal for a directive on cross border patient mobility. The right to receive prior authorised healthcare in a member state other than a patient’s home country has existed since 1971. However a spate of recent European Court of Justice rulings which stated that patients who had not received prior authorisation were also eligible to receive elective healthcare abroad had made legal clarification of the position of EU patients vital.
Under the proposals, UK patients who elect to receive hospital care in another EU member state cannot be subject to any unjustifiable obstacles such as a discriminatory system of prior authorisation or delays in reimbursement by the NHS. Moreover, the proposals allow for the recognition of prescriptions issued in another member state and encourage the creation of centres of excellence for certain medical conditions and technologies.
Patients receiving healthcare abroad will be refunded at least the cost of the treatment had it been provided in their home country and in some cases may be expected to provide a ‘top-up’ payment if treatment is more expensive abroad. Only treatments that are available in their home country will be refunded and the UK can continue to impose conditions on receiving specialist treatment such as the requirement to obtain a primary care referral.
The BMA has welcomed the principle of greater choice for patients. However, it warns that language barriers and other problems regarding continuity of care are yet to be addressed, and says that the plans must not be allowed to undermine values of equality, or the financial stability of the NHS. Patient mobility must not just be for the wealthy and educated. Standards of care for people who choose to stay in their home country, or are unable to travel abroad for treatment, must be maintained.
The proposal will now be debated in the European Parliament with MEPs expected to agree a first reading report in spring 2009. However, the dossier is likely to fall foul of the June 2009 European Parliament elections which means that its progress will be severely delayed.
Further information on the proposal can be read at:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/co_operation/healthcare/cross-border_healthcare_en.htm
Please contact the Brussels Office for an in-depth analysis of the proposals.
European Commission recommendation on e-Health
The European Commission has published a recommendation on the interoperability of e-Health systems which aims to ensure that EU doctors have access to vital information on patients' medical data if they fall ill when abroad. The recommendation encourages member states to take action to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is introduced and also launches a new project which is designed to pilot the concept of an EU-wide e-Health system so that doctors will have access to the medical records of patients who travel across the EU.
The three year pilot project will involve 12 member states and aims to demonstrate the benefits of interoperable electronic health records and electronic prescriptions. It is expected that information held in the pilot records will include a summary of essential information such as blood group, allergies, medical conditions and details of ongoing medication.
The recommendation can be read at:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/health/docs/policy/20080702-interop_recom.pdf
Health priorities of the French EU Presidency
The French minister for health addressed MEPs earlier this month and outlined the health priorities for the six month French EU Presidency. The programme consists of five principle areas:
- Improving health and safety – this will include the management of major health risks such as influenza and bio surveillance
- Allowing people to age in good health – this will focus particularly on Alzheimer’s disease
- Medicines and drugs – including follow-up work to the European Commission’s pharmaceutical package which is due to be released in October
- A Europe of health – this includes patient mobility, rare diseases and organ donation
MEPs adopt strict rules on food additives
MEPs have adopted a set of strict rules for the labelling of food additives but have fallen short of an outright ban on colourings. In a report adopted earlier this month, MEPs agreed that sweeteners, colourings, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, gelling agents and packaging gases can only be authorised if they are safe for consumers and if there is a technological need for their use. They did not ban bright colouring additivies as some had wanted but instead agreed that foods containing some of those colours must, in addition to the traditional ‘E’ number, carry a label stating that the product "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". The new rules are likely to come into effect in 2010.
Free fruit and vegetables for schools
The European Commission is proposing to allocate €90 million per year year to help member states finance the distribution of free fruit and vegetables in schools. In addition to co-funding the provision of free fruit and vegetables, the scheme would require participating countries to introduce a series of accompanying measures to make the scheme effective such as providing educational initiatives on healthy eating. The scheme is likely to come into force in the autumn.
House of Lords report in to EU organ donation
The UK House of Lords EU Committee has published the results of its enquiry into the EU’s proposals on increasing organ donation. The BMA submitted evidence to this enquiry, the report of which can be read at the website below:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/123/123i.pdf
BMA Brussels Office presentation
Nicola While of the BMA Brussels Office gave a knowledge sharing presentation on the role of the Brussels Office earlier this month. The presentation outlined the work that is undertaken by the Brussels Office and detailed a number of key EU policies that will impact on the BMA in the coming 12 months. A webcast of the presentation can be viewed at the below website:
http://www.bma.public-i.tv/site/player/pl_compact.php?a=15990&t=0&m=wm&l=en_GB