European Network of Community Health Services Associations [ENCHSA]

1. European Network of Community Health Services Associations [ENCHSA]

2. European Network of Community Health Services Associations [ENCHSA] Context/Operating Environment – Europe • Increase in health spending across Europe higher than GDP, aligned with limited resources, therefore not sustainable • Health inequalities still persists • Demand for health is outgrowing supply • Demographics – ageing population, increase in people living with long term conditions coupled with growing ethnic mix • Bio medical paradigm versus socialisation of medicine, now an emerging operating model • Holistic approach to health, demanding consideration for other determinants e.g. poverty, housing etc • Multidisciplinary approach a running theme, suggesting better collaboration among practitioners e.g. social care integration with health • Movement from mass consumption of care to individualisation [personalisation] • Social connections and citizens’ involvement and voices now core to policy • Consumption shift from mass to individuals, era of individual self-determination, individuals in control, mostly informed by social complexities, increased education [awareness] and influenced by IT • Therefore the role of the health system is to create a supporting environment that enables a sense of personal control, delivers opportunities for voicing ideas, and enables freely chosen social connection • New health systems and need to realise value from a new source, this new source needs nurturing, and active patients as consumers could be the source of the new values • Therefore meaningful community engagement is seen as part of the answer

3. European Network of Community Health Services Associations [ENCHSA] The need for ENCHSA… • No agreed and/or common definition • There are some good examples outside Europe e.g. CACHCA: Canadian Alliance of Community Health Centre Associations • There is the need for learning and sharing – connecting experiences, shared problems, shared solutions, with recognition of and respect for varied policy, politics, economics and social operating contexts across Europe • The need for some framework and/or principles of practise • Quality indicators, the need for… • Limitation in capacity across Europe • Lack of proxy measures and good indicators of ‘good practise’ • Need to reduce variations in practice across Europe Therefore, an alliance, network, coalition…

4. ENCHSA…modus operandi… European Network of Community Health Services Associations[ENCHSA]

5. European Network of Community Health Services Associations [ENCHSA] The How’s…next steps… It was proposed that, ENCHSA • Operates as a sub group of the European Forum for Primary Care • Identify other ‘actors’ – organisations and individuals – and invite them to join ENCHSA • It will be a ‘virtual’ organisation/group • There is need to have a defined agenda, goals, responsibilities, terms of reference etc • The is the need to set clear visions, mission, objectives and values • Align physical meetings to existing calendars of activities, conferences etc • Initial task/work – could be: “Towards a working definition and framework of community health in Europe”