A new £5 million research programme which is intended to lead to an increase in service quality and patient safety through better ways of planning and providing health services was announced today by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo. A consultation that will help formulate the UK's negotiating position to ensure the right legislative framework is developed around the new Patient Mobility EU Directive was launched today. The proposed Directive seeks to codify existing European case law to make clear the rules that will apply when EU nationals want to receive treatment in a Member State which is not their 'home' country. Article of the Month!
On July 2, the European Commission released, as part of the Renewed Social Agenda, two documents with significant importance to supporting cross-border healthcare delivery.
A new research fellowship scheme opened today will provide £4 million in funding over the next three years for healthcare scientists to undertake research to improve patient services and treatment. Funded by the Department of Health and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the scheme will fund areas of research that will have direct patient benefit.