The impact of health professional’s mobility on patients’ rights

MEP Minodora CLIVETI and MEP Nessa CHILDERS organised a meeting on 14 May 2013 on "The rights of the patients and the health professional mobility in the EU". They wanted to look at the effects of health professionals’ migration, mainly in Romania and Ireland, the countries they represent in the European Parliament.

EPF Project Officer Cristina Padeanu explained how patients’ rights are affected by insufficient personnel in the healthcare system. “The mobility of health professionals might leave some areas with insufficient human resources and the crises pressure to cut budget in healthcare has negative consequence on patients’ right to access healthcare they need”, said Cristina Padeanu, EPF Project Officer, to the representatives from the EC, health professionals and NGO active in health attending the meeting.

Dr.  Vincenzo Costigliola, president of the European Medical Association, talked about health inequalities. He said they are visible across EU countries, with Netherlands reaching the highest score of Euro Health Consumer Index (863) and Bulgaria the lowest one (448) in 2009. He emphasized the importance of “maintaining trust between patients and healthcare providers improving confidence in Cross-Border Healthcare”.

Nathalie Chaze, Head of Healthcare Systems Unit within DG SANCO highlighted “EU health systems need to find innovative solutions through new technologies, products and organisational changes. All of these depend on a high quality motivated and well trained health workforce”.

For more information, please contact Cristina Padeanu at cristina.padeanu@eu-patient.eu.