ESN brings European perspective to DBS Health seminar
On 21 January the Deusto Business School (DBS) Health led by Rafael Bengoa, former Minister of Health in the Basque Country, organised its first seminar looking at the integration of health and social care in Spain. The meeting attracted senior professionals from public health and social services sector in the different Spanish regions, including four ESN members, aiming to explore new models of contracting, funding and organising health and social care systems.
The meeting was opened by Lara Noivo Fernandes from the Government Affairs Philips Iberica who reviewed the latest technological developments undertaken by the Dutch company with the aim to ensure integrated health care. She emphasised the role of public and private partnerships and stakeholders’ involvement as key to fostering person-centred care.
The European context
Alfonso Lara Montero, Policy Director at the European Social Network (ESN), reviewed some of the definitions of the ‘health and social care integration’ concept, and analysed the enablers and barriers to integration, as well as the role the EU and the European Commission may play in fostering the integration of care at national and regional levels. Mr Lara Montero also reviewed various initiatives at policy level and local interventions encouraging joint work: “There is local evidence of benefits of services integration for various groups, such as children and youth with complex needs, people with mental health problems, or the elderly. However, examples of full structural integration are rare. It is important to bear in mind the issues related to transferability, in which the local context, readiness to change, organisational and individual relationships, and different care structures play an essential role”, he argued.
The experience from Northern Ireland: health and social care integration
John Compton, Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board, explained the integration process in Northern Ireland, based on the ‘Transforming your care’ agenda, which was driven by three main factors: the ageing population; the evidence base; and the way the workforce is organised so that services are sustainable. The ideal result would be individualisation (as opposed to a one-size-fits-all model) which forms part of a radical transformation from acute to primary care. Mr Compton summed up the change as: “a shift towards community; better use of our hospital services; a recognition that each hospital has to work in a network; and the seven-day week.”
The experience from the Basque Country: inter-sectoral co-operation
Jose Antonio De la Rica, Health and Social Care Coordinator at the regional Ministry of Health in the Basque Country, emphasised the culture of collaboration between health and social care administrations in the region, which has led to very positive outcomes. For instance, Mr De la Rica mentioned the framework document of the Basque Board of Health and Social Care to establish a sustainable, coordinated and sustained person-centred model of care. He analysed these strategic aims with a total of 68 collaborative actions between the two sectors, particularly a portfolio of health and social care services and joint projects. “We have defined the concept of health and social care provision and categorised services in order to develop a common services framework. The tradition of cooperation between the two sectors is key to having shared information”, he stressed.
The debate and future steps
Following presentations, participants analysed the drivers and barriers to inter-sectoral cooperation and integration, such as technology, funding, workforce or economic factors. The organisers of the seminar are now working on a document that will include the key aspects of the transformation of the current health and social care system(s), with the aim to initiate a sustainable process of change with the Spanish regions and look at the possibility of transferring it to the European context afterwards.