December 2015

© EPF

PATIENT EMPOWERMENT CAMPAIGN

In 2015 EPF launched a thematic Patient Empowerment Campaign, to build momentum for the real empowerment of patients in Europe.   With this campaign EPF aims to promote the development and implementation of policies, strategies and services that empower patients to be involved in the decision-making and management of their condition. 

Update - What happened in autumn 2015?

In October EPF released the official campaign video during the patient empowerment workshop that we organised at the European Health Forum Gastein. In the video, patients share their views on why patient empowerment is important, and explain why we need to act now to make patient empowerment a reality.

The campaign leaflet, which explains what patient empowerment is and the purpose of the campaign,was translated in 12 different languages. By the end of the year it will be available in all EU languages to ensure that the campaign material reaches the widest possible audience in the EU.

As part of the campaign, EPF launched an information collection form to gather information on good practices and activities that are already happening in Europe and aim to promote patient empowerment. We encourage you to complete it and share it with your network. 

In November, EPF released a significant campaign document for consultation, the “Charter of Patient Empowerment” which is a set of fundamental principles of patient empowerment in ten points, as defined by patients.

What is next for 2016?

In 2016 EPF will release the second major campaign document, the “Multi-stakeholder Roadmap to Patient Empowerment” which will be the basis for concrete actions that European policy-makers and healthcare stakeholders should take.

The two major documents will be officially presented in February at a European Parliament event that EPF will organise, to ask for the continued support of Members of the European Parliament to this campaign. Watch out for the dates – to be circulated in early New Year.

EPF will close the campaign on a high note in June by bringing its outcomes to the heart of European democracy with an exhibition hosted by an MEP in the hall of the European Parliament. During this event, we will arrange a high level roundtable meeting where EPF will  share the outcomes of the campaign as well as follow-up actions.

Contact: EPF Communications Assistant, Valentina Stylianou at valentina.stylianou@eu-patient.eu