HOPE Exchange Programme
Every year the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE) runs an exchange programme to promote the sharing of knowledge and expertise within the European Union and to provide training and experience for hospital and healthcare professionals.
This Exchange Programme covers a four-week training period and is open to anyone with a minimum of three years experience working in hospitals and/or healthcare facilities.
Since 2004 the NHS has welcomed 135 EU visitors and seen over 65 UK participants experience other healthcare systems. HOPE are now looking for NHS organisations to host visitors for the 2012 Programme, and for NHS managers and clinicians to participate abroad.
The overarching theme for the 2012 Exchange Programme is 'Ageing Health Workforce - Ageing Patients: Multiple challenges for Hospitals and Healthcare in Europe' and the Programme will finish with an agora in Berlin, Germany, on 11 - 13 June 2012.
The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement supports the Exchange Programme and provides more information on its website.
The deadline for UK applicants to apply for next year's HOPE Exchange Programme has now expired. Information on the Programme can be found on the newsletter and guidance notes, which include feedback on the 2011 Programme.
HOPE Exchange Programme 2011 report - now available
The report of the 2011 European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE) Exchange Programme has now been published, focusing on innovative healthcare approaches to integration and new care pathways from across Europe. The report, 'Better health - a shared challenge for hospitals and primary health care', builds on the experiences abnd learning of the hundreds of healthcare professionals who participated in the Programme across the range of European healthcare systems.
You can also download the 2010 report, The Chronic Patient: a clinical and managerial challenge, which built on the experiences of the hundreds of health professionals who participated two years ago.
More information on the NHS European Office's work with European partner organisations more generally, including HOPE, can be found on the our partners page or by contacting: Michael.Wood@nhsconfed.org.