Health Policy

The right to the protection of health ...

... lies at the heart of the activities carried out by the Council of Europe in the social domain. National representatives from 47 member states work together with specialist experts to set out minimum guarantees to safeguard human rights and indeed patients’ rights at the European level. Membership of the Council of Europe presupposes the obligation for states to ensure their people’s prerogative to basic human rights, and among such basic rights is the right to health protection.

Practical considerations of health care such as harmonising member states’ health policies in terms of safety and quality, and developing preventive medicine and health education, are discussed in committee meetings as are ethical and policy considerations. There is democratic participation of citizens and patients and coordinated efforts by national authorities, experts, other international organisations and civil society to make visible progress in the domain of health.

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Child-friendly health care

The work on child-friendly health care was launched in April 2009 at a Conference hosted in Madrid, Spain, under the Spanish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In December the same year, a Committee of Experts on child-friendly health care was set up with the task of preparing guidelines for member states on this issue. These guidelines were adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 September 2011.

This Committee also decided to undertake a consultation of children and young people on their opinions and experiences of health care. This was done by means of a survey which was developed and made available to the Council of Europe's national partners in the health care and children's sectors. The survey was then placed online in June 2011 where it was available in 15 languages.

The report analysing the findings of that consultation process was presented at the 9th Council of Europe Conference of Health Ministers held in Lisbon, Portugal, on 29-30 September 2011. See also a video clip concerning the report produced by the Council of Europe's audiovisual unit.

We would like to thank the 2,257 children and young people who completed the survey and shared with us their perspectives on their health care and on the development and delivery of health care services!

Latest news

9th Council of Europe Conference of Health Ministers, Lisbon, Portugal, 29-30 September 2011: Child-friendly Health Care: Building a Healthy Future for and with Children

European Health Ministres discussed a child-friendly approach to health care. On the agenda were children's rights to health protection, the participation of children, aspects of equity and accessibility to healthcare for every child, and policies and good practices to promote children's health and well-being. The Conference built on the Guidelines on child-friendly health care and the conclusions of the survey referred to above.

Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, and Portuguese Health Minister, Dr Paulo Moita de Macedo opened the event.

More information: www.coelisbon2011.org

> Final Declaration

> Programme

> Speech of the Deputy Secretary General

> Press release

> List of participants

Health Committees

European Health Committee (CDSP)
Expert Committee on child-friendly health care (SP-CFH)
Expert Committee on the implementation of good governance principles (SP-IGG)