Elderly participation in European Health policy and Patients Rights

Teresa Petrangolini ACN Director

The aim of the Conference: Active ageing and patients rights perspective
ageing patients must be considered as essential and responsible stakeholders: they can contribute to overcome the health systems crisis ageing patients not as a problem to deal with but as active participants in the problem solving

A required connection: Active ageing and patients rights perspective The 6 European Patients Rights Day is dedicated to elderly participation because: - patients rights, especially for elder people, are at risk - the ongoing global economic crisis is challenging the social European model

The recent financial crisis together with public expenditure policies make more and more urgent the setting up of a reform.
The real looming danger is that social and health expenditure could be considered as a cost to be cut down and that the equity principle could be converted into a questionable criteria

European Charter of Patients Rights

1. Right to Preventive Measures 2. Right of Access 3. Right to Information 4. Right to Consent 5. Right to Free Choice 6. Right to Privacy and Confidentiality 7. Right to Respect of Patients Time 8. Right to the Observance of Quality Standards 9. Right to Safety 10. Right to Innovation 11. Right to Avoid Unnecessary Suffering and Pain 12. Right to Personalized Treatment 13. Right to Complain 14. Right to Compensation

Active ageing to support patients rights protection Promote an empowered ageing patient, capable of interacting appropriately with services and institutions, with a special attention on the sustainability and effectiveness of social and health care systems

The active citizens rights

linked the rights of civic association (art. 12, section 1, Charter of fundamental rights)

the right to perform general interest activities

the right to carry out advocacy activities the right to participate in policy-making
(European Charter of Patients Rights).
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The European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations: objectives to raise general awareness of the value of active ageing and to ensure a prominent position in the ; . political agenda; to stimulate debate, to exchange information, to develop mutual learning , to identify and disseminate good practices and to encourage cooperation and synergies to develop innovative solutions, policies and long term strategies with the involvement of civil society to combat age discrimination and stereotypes

Article 25 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of EU

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the Union recognizes and respects the rights of the elderly to lead a life of dignity and independence and to participate in social and cultural life

Europe 2020: a 10-year strategy proposed by the EC (3 March 2010) for reviving the economy of the European Union "smart, sustainable, inclusive growth the success of the Europe 2020 depends on the involvement of all sections of society, non governmental organizations and individuals too Best practice, benchmarking, networking activities
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These strategies and these slogans would be empty words without the active presence ; . of elderly citizens and without their experiences The Conference aim is to present and to share the good practices collected: 40 in 18th European countries

 the existence of an informed and competent citizenship who is able to intervene in each phase of the public policies to facilitate better decisions, reduces the wastage, increases the ; . appropriate use of service, produces innovative solutions; the existence of a wide reserve of elderly population in good health, often with good general knowledge and generally available for voluntary job.

Workshops and final recommendations Share the BP information and suggestions to plan and support a new welfare policy at ; . European, national and local level, focused on: Ageing empowerment and inclusion
Citizens participation improvement democratization and transparency of public institutions decrease of wastage and privileges combining budgetary needs, universality of rights, prevention and care strategic goals.

The greatest empowerment is realized when, through dialogue, we advance from a shared awareness and concern about a difficult situation to a shared pledge or vow to achieve its resolution (Daisaku Ikeda)
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