Cross border health care (CBHC)in Europe a new EPSO working group? Presentation by Jooske Vos, general-secretary of EPSO

Overview of presentation Why this presentation? What is the – formal - state of affairs of crossborder healthcare in Europe – in short? What is the actual state of affairs? What is the result? What could we - as EPSO - do? Who wants to join the EPSO cross border working group? Are there any questions? EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

1. Why this presentation ? This month the Polish National Contact Point organised an international conference on QS of cross border health care in EU; I was asked to talk about the role of the supervisory bodies : Key questions: How to organise safe cross border care and information on quality and safety? The answer was: the NCP contact points do not have the relevant information on quality and safety of cross border care. Next question: Why didn’t we ask the supervisors (they know or they should know or they could be in a positon to find out). So conclusion : ask EPSO members. The EU (Basia Kutryba- chair of EU working group on PSQC) will start a working group next year; EPSO can participate. So yes we need an EPSO wg on cross border PSQC info. EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

2. What is the-formal-state of affairs of cross border healthcare in Europe–in short ? we have Directive 2011/24/EU: The general rule is that citizens can seek cross border care when and where they like (with exceptions and not always fully reimbursed) In general: being a patient you can go cross border/ being a doctor you can work cross border ) all EU countries have national contact points NCP ‘s : You received this week from us the list of National contact points with our question whether you co-operate with them. The government has to provide qualitative information including information about quality and safety of care EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

3. What is the actual state of affairs ? From a recent (March 2015)EU study (EU- DG SANCO 2012/02/011): The majority of patient representatives believe that patients are not generally informed about the Directive 2011/24/EU; Information on quality and safety is available on most NCP websites, but is often not comprehensive; NCPs indicate that some high-level, generic information is provided; Only a few websites publish practical and easily understandable information to help patients to make informed choices. (for instance on the quality of healthcare providers); NCP’s do not disclose information on quality and safety relating to healthcare providers; You will not be surprised : Not many patients are going cross border ; Quality of care is not considered a key driver in patients’ choices; Patients are guided by the experience of other patients or acquaintances. EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

4. What is the result ? You will not be surprised : Not many patients go cross-border (no exact numbers known); Quality of care is not considered a key driver in patients’ choices; Patients are guided by the experience of other patients or acquaintances; Supervisory bodies ( regulators / inspectorates / monitoring organisations) do – usually - not have a role in cross border care; Supervisory bodies are in most cases involved when things go wrong ( cross border doctors breast implants etc.) EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

5. What could we - as EPSO -do ? starting the preliminary talks within the EPSO network regarding type and mode of information on Quality and Patient Safety that could be retrieved from the EPSO members to be presented on NCPs websites; Start an EPSO working group to find out : what information is available with our members what are possibilities to make information publicly available cross border; what are the obstacles ? What could be done by MS / EU to remove the barrier participate in the EC working group (next year the EC is planning to start a working group on the topic of developing schemes for presenting information on Patient Safety and Quality of care ) EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

6 Who wants to join the EPSO cross border working group? Please let us know if you or your colleague are interested to join the EPSO cross border working group ! EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care

Are there any questions? EPSO European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in health and social care