Health Within and Beyond Welsh Borders July 2016
Wales Study Visit “Sustainable Development Approaches to Health and Equity� More on Page 4
Welcome Welcome to the July issue of the IHCC European and international e-bulletin! This month’s issue will provide you with information on the European Union referendum, the Wales Study Visit and international work carried out by Health Boards and Trusts, in addition to new publications and opportunities. Follow the IHCC on Twitter for regular updates #IHCCWales and on the IHCC website.
Contents In Focus - Europe 2 In Focus - Wales 4 Opportunities 7 International Organisations and Newsletters
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In Focus Europe
First Minister Carwyn Jones Statement on the EU Referendum First Minister Carwyn Jones expressed his disappointment in the result of the referendum on European Union and called for unity. “The country has taken a fundamental decision. I am deeply disappointed with the result.” “Now is the time for Wales to unite and to think clearly about our future. My urgent priority is to protect the interests of Wales.” Read the full statement on the Welsh Government website.
European leaders meet after the UK referendum results Further to the result of the referendum on the European Union in the UK, the Head of the 28 Members States of the European Union met in Brussels on the 29th June 2016. “We, the Heads of State or Government of 27 Member States, as well as the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, deeply regret the outcome of the referendum in the UK but we respect the will expressed by a majority of the British people.” They said “Until the UK leaves the EU, EU law continues to apply to and within the UK, both when it comes to rights and obligations.” Read the full statement on the European Council website.
World Refugee Day – 20th June 2016 Since the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and further to resolution 55/76, the United Nations (UN) celebrates World Refugee Day on June 20th, the same day as Africa Refugee Day celebrated by the Organization of African Unity (OAU). On this occasion, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reminded that over 65 million people had been forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide. As of 2015, there were 21.3 million refugees, 3.2 million people in the process of seeking asylum, and 40.8 million people internally displaced within their own countries. World Refugee Day 2016 was held just one month after the first World Humanitarian Summit in Turkey on 23rd-24th May 2016.
Third-sector organisations call for a European 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda SDG Watch Europe, an alliance of 70 organisations including the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Plan International, has written to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker calling for him to adopt, as a matter of urgency, an overarching strategy to guide implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Find out more on Plan International website.
WHO EURO EPHO now available online The World Health Organization (WHO) European Region’s Web-based version tool to evaluate essential public health operations (EPHOs) is now available online. Like the paper version developed in 2014, it is a comprehensive questionnaire that aims to support systematic assessment of the 10 essential public health services in a country. Find out more on the WHO European Region website.
WHO country profiles on national health situation relaunched The first in a series of publications providing in-depth analyses of the health situation in Member States has been launched. Over the coming years, covering as many countries as possible, WHO/Europe will produce detailed profiles of the national health situation, based on the latest data available. Find out more on the WHO European Region website.
In Focus Wales
Here we would like to share recent examples of Welsh activities, collaborations, events and other work related to protecting, improving and promoting health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities linking to Europe and the world. If you are a Welsh health or related professional involved in such international work and would like to share it with your colleagues, please email international.health@wales.nhs.uk. All contributions welcome!
Wales Study Visit “Sustainable Development Approaches to Health and Equity” On the 27th-28th June, Wales welcomed over representatives from different European organisations working on health for a 2-day Study Visit on Sustainable Development Approaches to Health and Equity. Hosted by Public Health Wales and organised in collaboration with EuroHealthNet and WHO’s Regions for Health Network (with support from the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation and WHO EURO), this Study Visit brought together 21 delegates from 16 different countries. We invited Caroline Costongs, Managing Director at EuroHealthNet, to tell us more about the Study Visit. Caroline Costongs has a public health and health promotion background. Together with the EuroHealthNet Executive Board, she sets the direction of the EuroHealthNet Partnership, develops and oversees the implementation of the business plan. She is responsible for the performance of office staff and activities including network development, project management, fund raising, policy development, advocacy and communications within existing capacities and budgets. Caroline represents EuroHealthNet on the EU Expert Group on Health Inequalities and Social Determinants and supports APHE (public health accreditation) as a Board member. EuroHeathNet is a not for profit partnership of organisations, agencies and statutory bodies working to contribute to a healthier Europe by promoting health and health equity between and within European countries.
What was the purpose of the Study Visit for EuroHealthNet? Do you feel that these objectives were achieved? “The purpose of the study visit was two-fold. First and foremost, we wanted to facilitate a useful exchange on effective approaches that improve health and wellbeing while contributing to sustainable development. Various delegates from national and regional health authorities across Europe had indicated that they were interested in practical and implementable solutions. Representatives were eager to understand how the Sustainable Development Goals can be applied and wished to obtain information on win-win scenarios and obstacles that were experienced. Participants were also keen to learn about the policy context, such as the new Welsh legislative Act on the Wellbeing of Future Generations. Our second objective was to inform participants on the EU context, with a focus on the EU Semester process as the main political instrument for national policy reforms. The EU Pillar on Social Rights was also presented. It is, however, more difficult to link macro-level policy with the day-to-day realities of many of the people present and more time and effort would be needed to make people understand the “ins and outs” of EU policy making for sustainable societies. Overall, we certainly did meet the Study Visit objectives. All on-site visits and presentations were well received and everyone participated actively. We are still collecting the “Learning Logs” to analyse which messages were taken home and what the potential impact of the study visit can be.”
What were the most important messages and lessons learnt from this visit? “The most useful messages and lessons came from the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. This act brought a new way of working across Wales and pushed local public services to think and work more broadly, also as part of public service boards. One official noted that it brought her ‘new insights by going through the Act’.
The principle of co-production was picked up (i.e. working with citizens as equal partners), which is extremely important and useful to see in practice. Needs assessments and well-being assessments are being done in order to not only identify problems, but also to map out people’s assets and resilience. The various examples (i.e. the prison restaurant, The Clink, the time credits system, the Amelia Trust Farm for vulnerable young people, the Down to Earth project) were inspiring and made clear how we can think outside the box and make new partnerships in order to bring a positive change to many people’s lives.” Why is such a visit important for Europe and Wales? Following this Study Visit, what are the next steps for EuroHealthNet and Wales? There are great challenges to securing real transformational change, which is needed nowadays even more than ever, in order to achieve sustainable societies. It is crucial that we network with those institutions and individuals that aim to contribute to such transformation for health and wellbeing as well as for social and environmental sustainability. This Study Visit has contributed to that, and adds to a range of activities, such as our latest conference on Sustainable Societies in Brussels, where the Welsh Government presented on their new Act and new upcoming activities in which we take part such as the INHERIT (INter-sectoral Health and Environment Research for InnovaTion) project. EuroHealthNet will continue to call on the European Commission to make clear statements on the implementation of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals and on how their economic instruments will fully take them into account. We are awaiting their strategy, which is set to be released in mid-October 2017. We also continue our work with EuroHealthNet’s member agencies and other partners across Europe, including Public Health Wales, to encourage further exchange and implementation of approaches to achieve health for all, within planetary boundaries and while ensuring social and economic sustainability.”
International Learning Opportunities Case Study The ILO programme offers an excellent opportunity for Welsh staff to take part in placements in Lesotho and Uganda. Find out more about applying to the ILO programme and read about Nicola Mehagan’s experience in Lesotho on the ILO website. Fly on air! By Nicola Mehagan Wow! My feet have not touched the ground since I landed in Lesotho last Tuesday! I started work early on Wednesday, a full day of meetings with the Lesotho Ministry- (Hon) Minister for Small Businesses, Cooperatives and Marketing, the Cooperative Commissioner and associated management team. They all expressed gratitude for me working in their country and thanked the Welsh Government (WG) and Wales co-operative Centre for organising this visit. They explained the issue of high levels of unemployment amongst the youth of Lesotho and the associated social problems. (I have asked for details of the percentage of youth unemployment).They feel cooperatives hold the key to tackling youth unemployment, that said, many cooperatives in Lesotho are losing members or “dying” as they further explained. They see Wales as a leader in cooperative thinking and action and they were very eager to learn about the great work cooperatives are undertaking in Wales and in particular how cooperatives are regenerating communities. I delivered several presentations to this end.
Raising the profile of international health work in Cwm Taf Cwm Taf University Health Board’s (CTUHB) very first internal Graduate Trainee Management programme began in February 2016. As part of the programme the six trainees were tasked with assessing Cwm Taf’s compliance against the Charter for International Health Partnerships and raising the profile of international health work activity within CTUHB. So far the trainees have: • Met with relevant contacts, including staff who have travelled abroad or been involved in fund raising, to learn about projects and international health activity. • Looked at procedures/policies around international working and whether an overall framework currently exists to guide International projects within CTUHB. • Used their findings to complete a draft Charter Compliance Assessment (using a Red/Amber/ Green rating to easily categorise each element of the Charter). This includes plans to tackle any gaps and move forwards with compliance. • Presented an update of current progress to CTUHB’s internal International Health Links (IHL) forum and discussions are underway on developing a guidance document for IHL projects within the organisation, which would address compliance to the Charter. • Arranged bi-weekly meetings to take the project forward as a group. • Designed a webpage to raise awareness of current International Health Work and to stimulate interest in becoming involved for the first time. One Trainee said: “We’ve really enjoyed our involvement in International Health work so far. It’s an exciting project with clear benefits for Wales, partner countries and CTUHB. We look forward to continuing to develop Cwm Taf’s web pages and working with Workforce & Organisational Development to update policies to align with the Charter. We even have plans to organise a Charter Celebration Event in the Autumn!” Look out for an update of the trainees’ progress in future editions of IHCC e-bulletin!
Opportunities
Funding The Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme The Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme supports businesses and organisations across both nations. This programme operates on an open call basis. The fund focuses on innovation, climate change, cultural and natural recourses, and heritage and tourism. For more information, please go to the WEFO website.
European Structural and Investment Funds These funds are part of the European Union’s Regional Cohesion Policy. During 2014–2020, Wales will benefit from around £1.8bn European Structural Funds investment to fund projects covering East Wales, West Wales and the Valleys. This programme operates on an open call basis and covers the following themes: - research and innovation, - the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, - renewable energy and energy efficiency, - connectivity and urban development - tackling poverty through sustainable employment - skills for growth - youth employment and attainment Please go to the WEFO website for further information.
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Applications are now open for 2017 Travelling Fellowships. The Trust funds British citizens to investigate ground-breaking practice in other countries and return with innovative ideas for the benefit of people in the UK. Categories covered are: • Medical Practice and Education • Nursing and Allied Health Professions • Mental Health - Community Based Approaches • Migration - Living Well Together • New Approaches to Social and Affordable Housing • Science, Technology and Innovation Closing date for applications is 20 September 2016 Find out more on the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust website.
BMA Humanitarian Fund The Fund is designed to support and encourage the development of new initiatives, to help teams undertaking humanitarian projects. Projects must offer clear health benefits to the local population, must involve at least one current NHS employee and should have a sustainable impact. The grants will cover travel and accommodation costs (not equipment or drugs). The total funding available this year is £30,000 with a maximum grant of £3,000 available to each application. Any questions regarding applications can be sent to BMA International. Find out more on the BMA website.
‘Bevan Health Technology Exemplars: Call for Applications’ URBACT – Third call for networks The Welsh Government, in partnership with the Bevan Commission’s Bevan Exemplars programme, is issuing a call to NHS Wales staff to apply to become Health Technology Exemplars. The Health Technology Exemplars programme will provide funding and support for NHS Wales staff to work in partnership with industry to implement an innovative health technology (non drug) in their clinical area, with the aim of improving NHS Wales ways of working, solving health problems and improving health outcomes. Successful NHS Wales applicants will receive up to £7500 of enablement funding from the Welsh Government through the £10m Efficiency through Technology fund and membership of the Bevan Innovators: Bevan Exemplars programme. The deadline for applications is 22 August 2016. Find out more on the Life Science Hub website.
Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Erasmus+ now offers opportunities for students to study and staff to teach or train in higher education institutions (HEIs) beyond Europe. It also makes the same opportunities available for staff and students from countries beyond Europe to come to participating HEIs in Europe. This is known as International Credit Mobility and is an activity under Key Action 1 Mobility. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2016 - 11am GMT Read more on the Erasmus+ website.
ECHO Funds The European Commission’s Humanitarian aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) is the Commission’s department in charge of EU relief assistance within and outside the EU. It operates through various financial instruments, including project grants, public procurement and support to volunteering overseas. Visit ECHO’s website for further information.
The Third Health Programme 2016 work plan The third health programme is the main instrument the European Commission uses to implement the EU health strategy. The call is based on the third programme for the Union’s action in the field of health (2014-2020) and the 2016 Annual Work Programme. The 2016 work plan sets out details of the financing mechanisms and priority areas for action to implement the programme. The current call is running until 2 June 2016.
Horizon 2020 Under its main research funding programme Horizon 2020, the European Commission DG Research and Innovation has published a series of calls and prizes under the topic of “societal challenges”. The topics and deadlines are specific to each call. Visit DG Research Participant Portal for further information
European Research Council Advanced Grants The European Research Council Advanced Grants are designed to support Principal Investigators who are already established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements. The call is applicable for three main research domains: physical sciences and engineering, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences & Humanities. The total budget for this call is €540m. The application deadline is 1 September 2016. Visit DG Research participant portal for further information.
Publications and Tools
The meanings of Brexit: What can medical & scientific communities do to foster solidarity? The Lancet (2016) Keyword: Brexit, Europe, health professionals, politics Find out more on the Lancet website.
Scotland’s opportunities for better pregnancies, healthier parents and thriving babies NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Public Health) (2016) Key words: pregnancy, early years, family planning, Scotland Find out more on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website.
Inequality briefing: Place and communities NHS Health Scotland (3 June 2016) Keywords: inequalities, environment, communities, policy Find out more on the NHS Health Scotland website.
Health Equity Assessment Toolkit World Health Organization (2016) Keywords: health inequalities, health statistics, benchmarking Find out more on the World Health Organization website.
Countdown to 2015: a decade of tracking progress for maternal, newborn, and child survival Lancet (14 May 2016) Keywords: Sustainable development goals, child health, maternal health, monitoring Find out more on the Lancet website.
Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - Report by the Secretariat World Health Assembly (8 April 2016) Keywords: Health, Sustainable development goals, World Health Assembly, report Find out more on the World Health Organization website.
World Health Statistics 2016 Monitoring health for the SDGs World Health Organization (2016) Keywords: health statistics, Sustainable Development Goals, monitoring, global health Find out more on the World Health Organization website.
Reflections on hospital reforms in the EU European Commission (2016) Key words: health policy, reform, hospital, Europe Find out more on the European Commission website.
No health workforce, no global health security Lancet (21 May 2016) Keywords: global health security, health workforce, Sustainable development goals Find out more on the Lancet website.
Eliminating FGM: what can health professionals do? The Lancet (28 May 2016) Keywords: Female genital mutilation, guidelines, health professionals Find out more on the Lancet website.
Ex-post evaluation of the 2nd Health Programme 20082013 European Commission (10 May 2016) Keywords: Funding, Europe, evaluation, Health Programme Find out more on the European Commission website.
Quality and safety standards for human blood, tissues and cells European Commission (26 April 2016) Keywords: Europe, quality standard, safety standard, blood donation, human tissue donation Find out more on the European Commission website.
EU report on the potential risks to public health associated with the use of refillable electronic cigarettes European Commission (26 April 2016) Keywords: Europe, public health, e-cigarette, prevention Find out more on the European Commission website.
Opinion on Access to Health Services in the European Union European Commission (2016) Key words: expert panel, access to health services, Europe, equity Find out more on the European Commission website.
Opinion on Typology of health policy reforms and framework for evaluating reform effects European Commission (2016) Key words: expert panel, evaluation, health policy, reform, Europe Find out more on the European Commission website.
Opinion on commissioning from private providers in the health sector European Commission (2016) Key words: expert panel, health policy, private sector, Europe Find out more on the European Commission website.
Opinion on commissioning from private providers in the health sector European Commission (2016) Key words: expert panel, health policy, private sector, Europe Find out more on the European Commission website.
Repository of innovative practices of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing European Commission (2016) Keyword: good practice sharing, ageing, policy, Europe Find out more on the European Commission website.
EU Library NHS European Office (2016) Keywords: European publications, policy, news, research Find out more on the NHS European Office website.
Effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on bodyweight and waist circumference The Lancet (2016) Keywords: Obesity, nutrition, diet Find out more on the Lancet website.
Global burden of stroke and risk factors in 188 countries, during 1990–2013 The Lancet (9 June 2016) Key words: global burden of diseases, risk factors, stroke, trend, global Find out more on the Lancet website.
The health and social effects of nonmedical cannabis use World Health Organization (2016) Key words: nonmedical use of cannabis, substance abuse, international drug policy, public health Find out more on the WHO website.
Universal Health Coverage: markets, profit, and the public good The Lancet (26 June 2016) Key words: universal health coverage, private sector, low-income and middle-income countries Find out more on the Lancet website.
Upcoming Conferences and Events The Future of Governance: Effective decision making for current and future generations Good Practice Wales Llanrwst,14 July 2016 Keywords: decision making, good practices, Wales, skills, professional development, public services Find out more on the Good Practice Wales website.
HPS Presentation Series – Mental health Webinar Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) Online Webinar, 15 July 2016 Keywords: health partnerships, Asia, Africa, mental health Find out more the THET website.
11th Biennial Conference of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery World Health Organization European Region Glasgow, Scotland, 27–29 July 2016 Keywords: nursing; midwifery; 2030 Agenda, innovation, research, practices, education, international approaches Find out more on the WHO EURO website.
Summer School: Spatial Epidemiology, Climate and Health Going International Bielefeld, Germany, 26-30 September 2016 Keywords: climate change, statistics, modelling techniques, population projection, analysis Find out more on the Going International website.
Erasmus Summer School Erasmus MC Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences The Netherlands, 10-28 August 2016 Keywords: scientific, research, health, knowledge Find out more on the Erasmus website.
4th International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Health, Culture and the Human Body Universitat Bremen Bremen, Germany, 8-9 September 2016 Keywords: migration, health, joint discussion Find out more on the Leibniz-Institut website.
Public Health England Annual Conference 2016 Public Health England Warwick, 13-14 September 2016 Keywords: Public Health, England, research, science, health interventions Find out more on the Public Health England website.
Other Expertise Opportunities Consultations Advanced Therapies Concept Paper Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) Key words: Europe, national, initiatives, research, development, Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), funding, pharmaceuticals Deadline for submitting comments: 25 July 2016 Find out more on the IMI website.
Mid-term Evaluation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund European Commission Keywords: evaluation, Europe, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, policy, employment, Social Affairs, Youth Deadline for submission: 18 August 2016 Find out more on the European Commission website.
Advisory Group report on the EU Horizon 2020 programme for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being European Commission Keywords: Horizon2020, funding, research, Europe, health, population Deadline for submission: 11 July 2016 Find out more on the European Commission website.
Training BOND - Planning and practice in monitoring, evaluation and learning London, 11-12 October 2016 Keywords: training, monitoring and evaluation, methods Registration based on availability Find out more on the BOND website.
Awards EU Health Award for NGOs 2016 European Commission Keywords: NGO, Europe, Antimicrobial Resistance, funding Award: £10,000 to 20,000 Deadline for application: 31 July 2016 Find out more on the European Commission website.
Civil Society Prize 2016 on Migration European Economic and Social Committee Keywords: migration, civil society, emergency response, Europe Award: € 50, 000 Deadline for application: 9 September 2016 Find out more on the European Economic and Social Committee website.
Birth Day Prize European Commission Research and Innovation Horizon Prizes Keywords: maternal/ newborn morbidity and mortality, novel, safe and scalable Award: € 1 million, € 500,000 Deadline for submission: 6 September 2017 Find out more on the European Commission website.
Horizon Prize – Better use of Antibiotics European Commission Research and Innovation Keywords: rapid testing, antibiotics, resistance Award: € 1 million Deadline: 17 August 2016 Find out more on the European Commission website.
Bond International Development Awards BOND Keywords: humanitarian, development, campaign, collaboration, innovation, transparency, third-sector Deadline: 9 September 2016 Find out more on the BOND website.
Healthy Workplaces Good Practice European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (OSHA) Keywords: occupational health, safety, good practice Deadline for application: 31 October 2016 Find out more on the Healthy Workplaces Campaign website.
Call for papers Calls for papers, Public Health Panorama June 2017 Edition World Health Organization Key words: Environment, policy, hazards health inequity, sustainability Deadline: 31 December 2016 Find out more on the WHO Europe website.
Campaign #ProudOfAid BOND Key words: UK foreign aid policy, twitter, international development Find out more on the BOND website.
Expertise Reducing health inequalities experienced by Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex (LGBTI) people EuroHealthNet Key words: LGBT, health, inequalities, information/intelligence sharing Please contact Clotilde Cattaneo and send her the relevant contact details.
International Organisations and Newsletters Connect Cymru Find out about International Youth Work opportunities on the new Connect Cymru website.
Cynnal Cymru/Sustain Wales Get up to date on events, training and consultancy from Sustain Wales by reading their newsletter.
Wessex Global Health Newsletter To keep in touch with the Wessex Global Health Network and receive regular updates, read the latest issue of their newsletter or sign up on their website.
WHO Europe Get up to date with public health news from around the WHO European Region by reading the WHO Europe’s most recent e-bulletin.
WHO Regions for Health Network This bulletin provides up to date information on the work developed by WHO’s RHN network, the latest issue featuring the Wales Study Visit and other relevant gatherings.
WHO Panorama Public Health Panorama provides a platform to scientists and public health practitioners for the publication of lessons learned from the field, as well as original research work, to facilitate the use of evidence and good practice for public health action.
EuroHealthNet Through the publication of its magazine, EuroHealthNet aims to explain its projects, its objectives and its ways of working. Go to the EuroHealthNet magazine website.
European Regional and Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA) EUREGHA is a network of 14 European Regional and Local Health Authorities focused on public health and health care. Read the latest news on the EUREGHA website.
European Commission: SANTE Health-EU View the SANTE Health EU newsletter on the European Commission website for information on, News from the EU, EU Press Releases, EU Health Award for NGOs, Forthcoming events, New publications and Reporting from across Europe.
European Commission: Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) BTSF Newsletter is prepared by the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) and issued six times a year. Find out more on the CHAFEA website.
European Public Health Association (EUPHA) The latest issue of EUPHA’s newsletter, available on their website, provides the latest updates in Public Health, including the upcoming European Public Health Conference in 2016 and the 6th European Conference on Migrant and Minority Health (MEMH) 2016.
European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing Read the latest newsletter on Active and Healthy Ageing on the European Commission website.
NHS Confederation NHS confederation offers a variety of newsletters that can be subscribed to by registering on their website.
NHS Confederation Europe The NHS Confederation European Office e-bulletin lets you know about policy,funding and the sharing of knowledge.
WEFO Horizon 2020 Horizon 2020 in Wales e-News (coming soon): A regular focused update on the latest news and topics relevant to Welsh organisations seeking Horizon 2020 funding. For more information visit the WEFO website.
Contact Us
Email International.health@wales.nhs.uk Telephone 02921 841938 Post International Health Coordination Centre c/o Public Health Wales Hadyn Ellis Building Maindy Road Cardiff CF24 4HQ Website www.internationalhealth.nhs.uk Twitter @IHCCWales