The EPSCO Council (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Policy) meets four times a year to discuss strategies for improving the standard of living and quality of life for the EU citizens. The meeting in Horsens will be in to sessions, one concerning health and one concerning employment and social policy.

The Informal Meeting of Ministers for Health

The Informal Meeting of Ministers for Health will take place on 23-24 April 2012 in Horsens. The overarching theme of the meeting will be the innovation agenda ‘Smart Health - Better Lives’.

In a time of growing demographic pressure and economic constraint, innovation in health care is crucial in bringing better and more effective treatment to patients, in promoting better use of resources and in improving working conditions in the European health systems. Moreover, innovation in health care has significant potential for exports to a growing global market for healthcare products and services.

During the first session on Monday 23 April ministers will discuss how to move ahead innovation in the European welfare and health care technology sectors.

Ageing populations and chronic diseases affect millions of European lives and drive health care expenditures and the global demand for health care solutions. The second session on Tuesday 24 April will address the topic of chronic diseases. The discussion will focus on patient empowerment and how to give European citizens living with chronic diseases the ability to live an active and independent life by actively taking part in the surveillance and treatment of their own disease.

Accreditation

Contact

Christina Holton, head of section, Ministry of Health

Tel: +45 50 96 51 40, email: cho@sum.dk

Andreas Bo Sjøholm, press officer, Ministry of Health,

Tel: +45 50 96 50 69, email: abs@sum.dk