The NHS European Office provides an essential link between European policy makers and the NHS. The Office is funded by the Strategic Health Authorities and is part of the NHS Confederation.
Our Objectives
The NHS European Office's main objectives include:
- monitoring EU policy and legislative developments which are important to the NHS
- keeping NHS organisations abreast of EU developments
- carrying out impact assessments of key EU proposals and influencing them in the interest of the NHS
- informing NHS organisations of EU support for innovation and funding opportunities.
The European Office monitors and engages with EU developments which have an impact on the NHS as:
- a provider and commissioner of healthcare
- an employer
- a business.
Priorities in 2011/2012
A wide range of EU developments impact on the NHS. We have identified a number of priorities for 2011/12, including:
- Working time: we are heavily involved in the revision of the European Working Time Directive, pressing for a more flexible application of the rules, notably on "compensatory rest", for the benefit of NHS trusts, their workforces and patients
- Information to patients: we will engage with EU proposals governing information on prescription medicines, to ensure that patients only receive accurate and unbiased information
- Mobility of health professionals: we are leading NHS input into revision of the EU Directive that enables health professionals to register and practice in countries other than the one in which they qualified
- Public procurement: at a time when procurement has been highlighted as a key means for the NHS to achieve significant savings, we will influence the revision of the EU Public Procurement Directives, pressing for simpler and more flexible rules
- Research and clinical trials: we will continue to work with NHS researchers to ensure that the EU's Clinical Trials Directive encourages rather than discourages clinical research, as well as pressing for NHS research priorities to be reflected in EU funding programmes
See our office leaflet and our work pages for more information.
Three years of achievement
In November 2010 the NHS European Office published a formal review of the work of the Office in its first three years. Representing the NHS in Europe: three years of achievement covers the role of the Office, highlights some of our main influencing successes across a wide range of policy issues and discusses how working together with European colleagues can give the NHS an ideal forum in which to debate the different solutions to our common challenges. Download the publication here or contact Michael.wood@nhsconfed.org for a hard copy.
Who we are
The NHS European Office has the following members of staff:
| Elisabetta Zanon |
Director |
| Kate Ling |
Senior European Policy Manager |
| Hazel Baird |
Senior European Policy Manager |
| Michael Wood |
European Policy Manager
(London based) |
| Chris Lynch |
Office Administrator |
EU Steering Group
The Office is governed by a Steering Group which meets twice a year and is responsible for setting the Office’s agenda and priorities, reviewing progress and helping shape policy positions on key issues.
The Steering Group comprises representatives from a range of NHS organisations including the SHAs, PCTs, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, and ambulance trusts, as well as the Department of Health, the NHS Confederation, and NHS Employers.
Where we are
The European Office is located in Brussels and London.