The EU is required to ensure that a high level of human health protection is part of all of its policies. The EU Health Programme aims to support this requirement and to complement, support and add value to the policies of EU countries.
The programme has three overarching objectives. It seeks to:
1. improve citizens' health security, promoting actions related to patient safety through high quality and safe healthcare, scientific advice and risk assessment, safety and quality of organs, substances of human origin and blood;
2. promote health and reduce health inequalities, increasing healthy life years and promoting healthy ageing; and
3. generate and disseminate health information and knowledge, exchanging knowledge and best practice on health issues.
Public Health Programme 2013: call now closed
The European Commission has closed its 2013 Public Health Programme call, which had a budget of €55.5m. The main funding priorities for 2013 included:
- Active and healthy ageing – with particular focus on chronic diseases
- Effective ways to invest in health – including the health workforce
- Patients' rights and safety
- Advice and data, with particular reference to sustainable health systems
The 2013 workplan also supported the implementation of legislation in the following areas:
- Safety and quality of tissues, cells and blood
- Cross-border healthcare
- Pharmaceuticals and medical devices
Our briefing provides more information on what was funded and the application process.
EU Health for Growth Programme 2014 - 2020
On 9 November 2011, the European Commission announced its proposals for the new Health for Growth Programme for 2014 – 2020. The new programme will replace the current 2008-13 Health Programme, the final call for which will be in 2013.
The Health for Growth Programme aims to build on the achievements of the 2008-13 Health Programme and better enable health to contribute to economic growth and the Europe 2020 objectives.
It has four main objectives:
- Objective 1: Developing innovative and sustainable health systems;
- Objective 2: Increasing access to better and safer healthcare for citizens;
- Objective 3: Promoting health and preventing disease; and
- Objective 4: Protecting citizens from cross-border health threats
It has an increased budget of €446million (up from €321.5 million in 2008-13) of which: 50% will fund Objective 1, 22% will fund Objective 2, 22% will fund Objective 3, and the remainder will fund Objective 4.
Objective 1 will be particularly significant for the NHS as it will fund actions to increase uptake of innovation in healthcare through HTA and eHealth, as well as expertise on healthcare reforms and support to the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. It will also cover forecasting demand for health professionals in Member States.
The programme is due to start at the beginning of 2014 and run until the end of 2020.
As with the current Programme, funds will be awarded through:
- Grants for action co-financed by competent authorities responsible for public health in Member States i.e. joint actions, and with international health organisations
- Grants to support NGOs and Procurement contracts
Grants for joint actions will be the area where there will be most opportunities for the NHS, grants usually funding up to 60% of the costs of the project/action.
For further information on this coming call, please contact: jenny-lee.spencer@nhsconfed.org.
Leeds University leads EC funded study into men's health
Academics at Leeds University have led a study into the state of men's health across the 27 Member States of the EU. The final report entitled "The State of Men's Health in Europe" and funded by the European Commission, provides information on various health topics, such as cancer and cardio-vascular disease and highlights the broad range of mortality and morbidity data arising from the many different health conditions which affect men across the EU. The report suggests that there is a high level of preventable premature mortality in men, which can only be addressed by targeted activity across the lifespan. You can read the full report here.
A European Commission publication which gathers together information on 27 projects which were funded under the 2nd Health Programme of the European Commission and cover a wide range of health themes, from health information to health security, including topics such as alcohol commercials, fighting obesity, AIDS and organ donation.
