Quality Standards from Policy Perspectives Albert Kern, Federal Ministry of Health, Germany Parallel Session B – Implementation Processes 17 June 2011, 9.00 – h, Salle Polak

Quality Standards in drug demand reduction Current situation in Germany: A lot of actors with different responsibilities, interests and goals in the main fields of action (prevention, treatment, harm reduction) Experiences with quality standards in drug prevention, treatment and harm reduction

Questions and Answers è Which are the main challenges for an implementation of EU Minimum Quality Standards at the national level? Which actor from the EU-level can promote an implementation of EU MQS at the national level? Often more than one payer is responsible for QS in the different drug demand reduction sectors. There is a need to convince all of them. Lack of clear regulations, which institution or organisation is responsible for coordinating QS- implementation

Questions and Answers è Which are the main challenges for an implementation of EU Minimum Quality Standards at the national level? Doubts concerning the benefit of MQS compared with the existing QS. The different languages in the EU. Convince all of us, that EU-MQS at the national level of all EU Member States are a small but important contribution for an unified EU

Questions and Answers è How can the expected political and financial problems be met? Short summaries of EU-QMS in all languages for all the responsible actors in the drug demand fields National Focal Points may organise national conferences to explain and promote EU-QMS in their countries (REITOX- Academies). è How can the expected political and financial problems be met? Good arguments, that there will be a benefit for the drug care services and their users if MQS are implemented (evidence-based interventions)

Questions and Answers è How can the expected professional concerns be met? Training programms and study visits for professional not convinced of EU-MQS – as a part of the EU Drug Prevention and Information Programm National Focal Points may organise national conferences to explain and promote EU-QMS in their countries (REITOX- Academies). è How are the views of the service users taken into account? Part of QS in german drug services are questionnaires for the service users; the views and opinions of the service users are known

Questions and Answers è Which legal conditions must be created for the implementation of standards? Change of the Lisbon Treaty? Social Code IX (§20f.) and the legal frame by means of the Social Code V and VI, mainly in form of federal laws Changes in the Föderalismus-law

Questions and Answers è Is cooperation between the EU Member States useful for sharing experience and best practice and how can this be initiated? è What support could the EU provide? Can be initiated or strenghtened with action grants within the EU Drug Prevention and Information Programme and other EU Programmes (Health, Research, ERA-Net)

Thank you for your attention! Albert Kern Federal Ministry of Health Division Addiction and Drugs Johannisstraße Berlin