The conclusions of the Council follows the exclusion of healthcare services from the scope of the Services Directive and foresees the future Community framework on health services, currently developed by the European Commission.
It also takes into account the recent European Court of Justice rulings over the right to treatment, reimbursement, and patients mobility in Europe.
In their declaration, ministers agree that health services must be underpinned by the following values, as defined below:
universality (access to healthcare must be ensure for every person living in the European Union);
access to good quality care;
equity ( equal access to health care regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, social status and ability to pay);
solidarity (linked to the financial schemes under which the health systems are funded)
They also state that reducing health inequalities must be one of the aims of health systems, as well as a shift towards preventive measures.
Besides values, they specifically note that the implementation of those values vary from one State to another and that should remain the rule. Nevertheless, they outline operational principles:
Quality
Safety
Care that is based on evidence and ethics
Patient Involvement
Redress
Privacy and confidentiality
The European Commission will now have to ensure that the common values and principles are respected in the future proposal on health services.
Related articles:
European Health Policy Forum issues recommendations on health services and the internal market
EPHA briefing note - Services, Health and the Internal Market
Conclusions of the seminar on health services of EPHA General Assembly 2006 (For Members’ only)
