Health Highlights September 2023 

The report identifies progress and gaps in digital health, and encourages effective governance, robust evaluation, digital health literacy, sustainable financing, and digital inclusion. While it demonstrates a strong starting point, WHO/Europe Director Dr Kluge noted that ‘digital health programmes have so far developed on an ad-hoc basis and this needs to change.’

The report was launched at WHO/Europe’s 2nd Symposium on the Future of Health Systems in a Digital Era, which aimed to shape actions towards the Regional digital health action plan. Present at the event, EuroHealthNet emphasised the need to enhance digital skills, incorporate anti-discriminatory principles in the development and deployment of technologies, and ensure accessibility of digital tools.

Members of the European Parliament adopted their position to set stricter pollutant limits, in preparation for the review of the EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality. The revised law will align EU rules with the WHO Air Quality Guidelines by 2035.

The Parliament recommends that the standards proposed by the European Commission should be treated as an intermediate objective, reached by 2030 by the latest, and that they are complemented by a harmonisation of air quality indexes and tailored information to citizens. The Parliament will now start negotiations with EU Member States on the final review of the Directive.

Read EuroHealthNet’s position and recommendations by BEST-COST. 

EuroHealthNet launches its vision for inclusive, gender and socially diverse workplaces in latest video

Inspired by EuroHealthNet’s Workplace Gender, Equality and Diversity (GED) Policy, the explainer video sets out how, as an organisation, we promote equality and diversity in our work and wider Partnership. The GED policy guides EuroHealthNet’s hiring practices, work environment, events and communications, as well as the activities of our research, policy, and practice platforms.  

EuroHealthNet Members share lessons on using BCIs for health promotion

EuroHealthNet and several Members spoke at a WHO/Europe meeting on behavioural and cultural insights (BCIs) for health, co-hosting a workshop that explored the importance of a multisectoral action on food environments to tackle childhood obesity. Read our key takeaways and re-discover WHO's European Regional Action Framework and Tool Kit.

BCIs are essential to reduce inequalities and promote health as highlighted by NIJZ's work with the Roma community. Members from Public Health Wales, RIVM and Gezond Leven were also amongst those that presented on using BCIs to promote positive health behaviours. 

PSLifestyle releases a ‘Lifestyle Test’ to help EU citizens adopt sustainable and healthier lives 

The Lifestyle Test can help close the gap between climate awareness and action, by calculating individuals’ daily impact on the environment and offering concrete changes to live more sustainably. Based on the outcomes, the online test helps users build a plan to reduce the impact of their daily actions. The test was developed through local engagement in eight European countries. As a partner in PSLifestyle, EuroHealthNet brought in the health equity perspective.

The Veneto Regional Authority publishes its Social and Health Report, providing insight into the regional health system 

The report and its interactive tool present key findings on population health in the region, as well as areas of intervention in fields such as health promotion and disease prevention, childhood, adolescence and families, and social-health interventions. It also zooms in on resource and funding management, as well as the key implementation areas.  

The cost-of-living crisis has negative knock-on effects on children’s future health and life chances

A new report by Public Health Wales shows that the health of children in Wales is being harmed by the cost-of-living crisis, with children living in poverty being affected most. The report calls for measures to improve the affordability of food, energy, childcare and public transport, and support for school attendance and mental wellbeing. 

Slovenia’s ‘This is Me’ programme seeks to support child and youth mental health

Under the auspices of the Slovenian National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), the programme features an online handbook about dealing with mental ill-health and providing guidance on wellbeing. Itis also implemented in schools through workshops on social and emotional skills.    

Public Health Scotland co-creates hub for multi-sectoral action on wellbeing

Public Health Scotland, together with Police Scotland and the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute have joined forces to form a Scottish Prevention Hub, to improve national public health. The Hub aims to bring together a wider reach of partners in addressing the country’s wellbeing challenges. 

The European Care Strategy - one year on 

Celebrating the first anniversary of the European Care Strategy, the European Commission has taken stock of key achievements. These include Member States’s appointment of national long-term care coordinators and mobilisation of EU funds. A large-scale skills partnership for long-term care was created, together with a collaboration with WHO to help train informal workers.

WHO urges leaders to commit to improving global public health at UN General Assembly

World Health Organization’s call to accelerate health ambitions was made in view of the SDG Summit and the unprecedented number of health-focused high-level meetings at the UN General Assembly. WHO notes the important opportunity for leaders to showcase health as an investment as they discuss prevention of pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, universal health coverage and combatting tuberculosis

European Parliament and Council ministers advocate for greater social fairness in EU processes

MEPs noted that the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is the EU’s long-term budget, should better support the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and EU Child Guarantee. It should do so by incorporating wellbeing indicators and a social expenditure tracker. The MFF potential for promoting social inclusion is already reflected in some EU-funded projects.

Social inclusion was also discussed by EU ministers as a foundational element for a just digital and green transition.
 

SANT Committee MEPs make progress on draft reports on noncommunicable diseases and mental health

The reports will draw insights and recommendations for prevention of noncommunicable diseases and mental ill-health and promoting good health. Ahead of the committee meeting, EuroHealthNet submitted feedback on the mental health report. We called for a dedicated EU strategy supported by country action plans, and an EU Directive on Psychosocial Health Risks at Work. On NCDs, we recommended that the EU strategy on NCD prevention and Action Plan on Childhood Obesity be comprehensive, timebound and actionable.