The European Reference Networks were introduced with the approval of the Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in 2011. Member States committed to support the creation of these networks with the aim of facilitating the mobility of expertise and access to the provision of high-quality healthcare to patients who have conditions requiring a particular concentration of expertise through the joining up of available resources.
In relation to the criteria and conditions of these networks, implementing and delegated acts have been published recently by the Commission. Those acts have been developed in collaboration with stakeholders. The EFN was involved during the consultation period and is pleased to see that many of the conditions requested from a nurses’ perspective have been considered necessary for the creation of the networks.
Key conditions among a first set of horizontal and structural criteria include those related to patients’ empowerment and patient-centred care; organisation, management and continuity; research and education (CPD) capacity appear to be essential in order to ensure that the objectives of the Networks are met. Furthermore, they should also produce good practice guidelines, implement outcome measures and quality control and follow a multi-disciplinary approach for the composition of their consortiums.
More information
– EFN Position Statement on ERN