Health Policy

Health Policy

Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers

Recommendations are adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and addressed to the Governments of the Council of Europe member States.

The first recommendations on health policy date back to 1978. Over the years the Committee of Ministers covered most of the issues, creating effective European standards on health policy.

To better focus all the recommendations, we suggest a search through the following themes:


Blood

From the Council of Europe perspective quality aspects of blood components include issues related to ethical questions, organisational matters and quality assurance proper. The Recommendations which best describe the Council of Europe position in these quality aspects are:
Recommendation No R(95)14 on the protection of the health of donors and recipients in the area of blood transfusion;
Recommendation No R(88)4 on the responsibilities of health authorities in the field of blood transfusion and
Recommendation No R(95)15 on the preparation, use and quality assurance of blood components.

Recommendation Rec(2004)18  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on teaching transfusion medicine to nurses
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(2004)8  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on autologous cord blood banks
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(2003)11  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the introduction of pathogen inactivation procedures for blood components
Recommendation Rec(2002)11  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the hospital�s and clinician�s role in the optimal use of blood and blood products
Recommendation Rec(2001)4
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the prevention of the possible transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) by blood transfusion 
Recommendation No R(98)10 on the use of human red blood cells for the preparation of oxygen-carrying substances
Recommendation No R(98)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on provision of haematopoietic progenitor cells
Recommendation No R(96)11
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on documentation and record-keeping to guarantee the traceability of blood and blood products especially in hospital
Recommendation No R(94)10
 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on early pharmacological intervention against HIV infection
Recommendation No R(93)4
 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning clinical trials involving the use of components and fractionated products derived from human blood or plasma
Recommendation No R(90)9
 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on plasma products and European self-suffiency
Recommendation No R(90)3
 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on medical research on human beings
Recommendation No R(89)14
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on- Ethical issues of HIV infection in the health care and social settings
Recommendation No R(87)25
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on common European public health policy to fight the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Recommendation No R(86)6
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on guidelines for the preparation, quality control and use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP)
Recommendation No R(85)12
 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the screening of blood donors for the presence of AIDS markers
Recommendation No R(85)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on a model curriculum for the training of specialists in blood transfusion
Recommandation Rec(84)16 concerning notification of work involving recombinant deoxyribonucleic (DNA)
Recommendation No R(84)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the prevention of the transmission of malaria by blood transfusion
Recommendation No R(83)8 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on preventing the possible transmission of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) from affected blood to patients receiving blood or blood products
Recommendation No R(81)14  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Assessment of the risks of transmitting infectious diseases by international transfer of blood, its components and derivatives
Recommendation No R(81)5  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on Antenatal administration of anti-D immunoglobulin
Recommendation No R(80)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on Blood products for the treatment of haemophiliacs
Recommendation No R(79)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the transport and international exchange of substances of human origin

Cancer control

Recommendation No R(89)13 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the organisation of multidisciplinary care for cancer patients
Recommendation No R(80)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning cancer control

Disabilities

Recommendation Rec(2006)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Council of Europe Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation of people with disabilities in society: improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-2015
Recommendation No R(97)8 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on rehabilitation through sport of people with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Recommendation No R(92)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on a coherent policy for people with disabilities

Health Policy, Development and Promotion

Recommendation Rec(2001)13 on developing a methodology for drawing up guidelines on best medical practices proposes a coherent and comprehensive national policy framework for the production, appraisal, updating and active dissemination of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. The main aim is to support and promote good clinical practice in the best interest of the patient and to improve the quality and effectiveness of health care. End user (including patients) involvement through a wide review and/or testing of the pilot version is necessary. The text adopted by the Committee of Ministers calls also for promoting international networking between organisations, research institutions, clearinghouses and other agencies that are producing evidence based health information.

Recommendation (2000)18 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on criteria for the development of health promotion policies
Recommendation Rec(99)21 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on criteria for the management of waiting lists and waiting times in health care
Recommendation No R(97)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the development and implementation of quality improvement systems (QIS) in health care
Explanatory memorandum

Health Services

Recommendation Rec(2006)18 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on health services in a multicultural society
Recommendation Rec(2006)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on hospitals in transition: a new balance between institutional and community care
Recommendation Rec(2006)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on trans-border mobility of health professionals and its implications for the functioning of health care systems
Recommendation Rec(2006)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on better access to health care for Roma and Travellers in Europe
Recommendation Rec(2006)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on management of patient safety and prevention of adverse events in health care
Recommendation Rec(2005)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the role and training of professionals responsible for organ donation (transplant "donor co-ordinators")
Recommendation Rec(99)21 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on criteria for the management of waiting lists and waiting times in health care
Recommendation Rec(99)3 on the harmonisation of medico-legal autopsy rules
Recommendation No R(98)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the organisation of health care services for the chronically ill
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(86)5 on making medical care universally available
Recommendation Rec(86)4 on the use of a standard European form for the provision of medical care to persons during temporary residence abroad
Recommendation Rec(84)20 on the prevention of hospital infections
Recommendation Rec(83)5 on further training for nurses
Recommendation Rec(82)7 concerning the aid to be given to small-sized countries for basic and post-graduate training for health personnel
Recommendation Rec(81)1 on regulations for automated medical data banks
Recommendation Rec(80)15 concerning a better distribution of medical care inside and outside hospitals

Mental disorder

Recommendation Rec(2004)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning the protection of human rights and dignity of persons with mental disorder
Recommendation Rec(83)2 concerning the legal protection of persons suffering from mental disorder placed as involuntary patients

Palliative care

Recommendation Rec(2003)24 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the organisation of palliative care

Patients' role

Recommendation Rec(2006)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Council of Europe Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation of people with disabilities in society: improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-2015
Recommendation Rec(2004)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the impact of information technologies on health care � the patient and Internet

The crisis in funding of health care has forced governments to introduce major reforms to reduce costs and increase efficiency but patients� needs up until fairly recently were not taken into account in these reforms. Although �patient-centred care� has become a catch-phrase the means of implementing it has not always followed. The present Recommendation states the importance of citizen empowerment in improving the functioning of the health care system and it proposes methods to involve citizens and patients in decision making. It. calls on governments to encourage citizen participation in all aspects and at all levels of health care systems by creating legal structures and policies that support the promotion of citizens� participation and patients rights.
Recommendation Rec(2000)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the development of structures for citizen and patient participation in the decision-making process affecting health care
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(80)4 concerning the patient as an active participant in his own treatment


Transplantation

Recommendation Rec(2006)16 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on quality improvement programmes for organ donation
Recommendation Rec(2006)15 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the background, functions and responsibilities of a National Transplant Organisation (NTO)
Recommendation Rec(2005)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the role and training of professionals responsible for organ donation (transplant "donor co-ordinators")
Recommendation Rec(2004)19 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on criteria for the authorisation of organ transplantation facilities 
Recommendation Rec (2004)8  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on autologous cord blood banks and explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(2004)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on organ trafficking
Recommendation Rec(2003)12 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on organ donor registers
Recommendation Rec(2003)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on xenotransplantation
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation Rec(2001)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the management of organ transplant waiting lists and waiting times
Recommendation Rec(2001)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the prevention of the possible transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) by blood transfusion
Recommendation No R(97)16 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on liver transplantation from living related donors
Recommendation No R(97)15 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on xenotransplantation
Recommendation No R(94)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on human tissue banks

Vulnerable groups

Recommendation Rec(2001)12 of the Committee of Ministers to member states
on the adaptation of health care services to the demand for health care and health care services of people in marginal situations. It proposes a multi-sectorial approach to preventive action, to create supportive environments for the social re-integration, to avoid stigmatisation and to increase knowledge base.

Recommendation R(98)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the organisation of health care services for the chronically ill
Explanatory memorandum
Recommendation R(98)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning the ethical and organisational aspects of health care in prison
Recommendation R(97)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on securing and promoting the health of single parent families
Recommendation Rec(86)18 on the European Charter on Sport for All: Disabled persons