The European Parliament Interest Group on Carers and Eurocarers are organising today an event addressing “Carers in the European Semester Process”, at the European Parliament. Having a clear support from hosting MEPs (MEPs Heinz Becker, Jean Lambert, Marian Harkin and Sirpa Pietikainen), the objective of the meeting is to highlight the focus on health and long term care that the European Semester has and discuss how this channel could be used to place a stronger focus on carers and identify measures and requirements to achieve it.
Invited as a panelist, the EFN Secretary General, Paul De Raeve, highlighted that political priorities should reshuffle investments towards building a health and social Ecosystem with a strong community care. In that Ecosystem, professionals collaborate in providing multidisciplinary care to patients and their families, and empowering them in remain more independent at home.
Carers play a fundamental and indispensable role in the long-term care provision. That recognition should be better acknowledged and supported. A key condition for that is the availability of a formal workforce well established and able to provide care, information and advice when needed. The strengthening of care at the community level supports the coordination of care and people’s independence to remain at home as long as possible. In this regards, the implementation of eHealth services for integrated care holds great potential. The EFN pointed out to the five EU Guidelines on eHealth services for nurses and social workers that ENS4Care has delivered. This project was coordinated by the EFN and 23 EU partners, including Eurocarers, contributed to its success.
A high qualified community care workforce and eHealth services can support carers in their invaluable dedication to their families and the care they provide. There is a need for recognition but mostly for increasing the support they receive. Innovation allows a better and quicker communication, and it is in these solutions where we should invest in order to empower individuals and make them feel more reassured. It is time that politicians bring these talks to the G7! Integrated care and continuity of care needs to free up time of the carers and health professionals to stay close to their beloved ones, the patients and citizens. Clinical pathways and proper workforce composition can strengthen carers, with full attention to ehealth services to free up pressures time.