The first formal meeting of the Health Policy Forum presented an opportunity to discuss how the EU Health Forum would be managed and organised.
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and 14 of its member organisations have been invited to become members of the Health Policy Forum, which forms part of the EU Health Forum. In total 45 organisations were invited to attend the launch meeting of the Policy Forum in November 2001. Among the objectives of the meeting was a discussion of how best to organise and structure both the EU Health Forum itself and the Policy Forum which would drive it.
Last year’s announcement of the proposed EU Health Forum has been welcomed by health groups as an important and timely initiative to create an arena for consultation between stakeholders and the Commission, particularly in relation to the future public health programme. It is planned to comprise three elements: a Policy Forum, a Virtual Forum, and an Open Forum. A first, informal meeting to discuss the EU Health Forum was held in July 2001).
The November meeting was attended by Genon Jensen, General Secretary, representing EPHA. As well as the focus on planning how the new Forum would work, discussion included the implementation of the new health action programme and two policy issues, namely pharmaceuticals and e-Health. However, the most important outcome for many participants concerned the operating principles of the Forum. The next part of this article therefore provides proposals from the health groups taking part in the meeting (and from follow-up communication with the Commission) on the workings of the EU Health Forum and the Health Policy Forum (HPF).
Principles
To increase the transparency and commitment, it will be necessary to formally endorse concrete principles on how the HPF will be run.
Preparation
Timely and adequate notification prior to meetings will be vital to provide time for consultation and feedback from the member organisations. The agenda could usefully be sent two months or earlier in advance of the meeting. This would ensure that the HPF participants would have the opportunity to consult with the groups and individuals that they are mandated to represent.
Briefing papers prepared for meetings might include a set of questions and desired outcomes that could be considered in advance. A virtual steering group could be established to guide the preparatory work.
All meeting documents should be posted on the Forum web site.
Management
Participants welcomed the endorsement of Health Director Fernand Sauer that future meetings should break into working groups to discuss separate issues and then be brought together in a closing plenary session.
Follow-up
All organisations who responded to the initial consultation on the Forum in July 2001 should be kept aware of developments, and all HPF participants should be sent the DG SANCO workplan and timetable for 2002 in order to understand how the work of the HPF fits into existing plans.
Membership criteria
To maximise transparency, the selection criteria for membership of the Health Policy Forum should be made clearer. Featuring the criteria on the HFP web site would increase transparency and provide credibility, particularly to external visitors.
Observer status
Appropriate organisations should be afforded observer status. For example, a representative from the World Health Organization might be invited as an observer, particularly in light of the recent joint agreement between WHO and the European Community to foster closer co-operation.
Languages
If translation services were to be made available in meetings, this facility should be stated in letters of invitation. Simultaneous translation was available during the first meeting but many participants were unaware of the service and therefore did not use it.
During the meeting, the Commission provided the following points of information and clarification.
The next Health Policy Forum meeting is provisionally scheduled for 20 June 2002 and enlargement will be one of the main topics
The Open Forum is scheduled for either late 2002 or early 2003. The focus will be on a single theme. The meeting may coincide with World Health Day (held in April)
On-line consultation opportunities in the Virtual Forum would be available early in 2002
Information on the EU Health Forum would soon be accessible via a link from the Health and Consumer Protection DG home page (now available, see web site address below)
For those organisations demonstrating the need, reimbursement of expenses to attend meetings would be available on request.
EPHA members have received a full report of the meeting. Following integration of their invited comments, a letter will be sent to the European Commission’s public health unit.
The Commission has published its minutes from the meeting on the website mentioned below.
Info:
Further information about the Health Policy Forum can be found on the newly established web site
