12.7. Health in all policies

Policies outside the health sector are also central for improving the health of the population and reducing the existing gaps in healthcare provision. A considerable amount of work has been devoted to the development of a consensus on the approaches to assess the impact of policies and specific interventions on health. The European Observatory on Health System and Policies in Brussels produced ad hoc publications in 2002 and 2007. The Finnish EU presidency in the latter part of 2006 identified this subject as a priority health theme. The council conclusions in that effect were made in the Council that convened on December 1, 2006. At the end of October, 2007, the Commission issued its White Paper Together for Health: a Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013 as the Commission’s contribution for the health strategy of the European Union: The Paper includes health in all policies as one of its four fundamental principles. Moreover, conclusions on “Health in All Policies” were adopted in Rome on 18 December 2008 by the Ministerial Delegation of all the EU Member States at the end of a special Conference on this approach. The “Health in all Policies” strategy, while recognizing that health can be influenced by decisions made in sectors other than health, calls for the assessment of the health impact of such decisions, so that health is systematically taken into consideration in all policies. Yet, we have to see this principle implemented, before really declaring success.

Annex 12.2. Declaration on Health in all Policies

Health systems impact assessment

An ad hoc Working Group of the Commission’s High Level Group on healthcare and long term care has been developing a methodology for estimating the impact of new policies on health systems, as opposed to the impact on population health status. In 2006 the working group completed: a web-based assessment tool incorporating a manual for desk officers and the “health system impact assessment cube”; a policy assessment of the Community policy on social Policy, Education, Vocational Training and Youth; and established a network of experts in the Member States who can give advice on their national health system during the development of the policy assessments. The next steps will be to pilot the web-based assessment tool, preferably linked to the European Commission’s Integrated Impact Assessment guidance and materials. A conference during the PT Presidency on 5-6 November 2007 launched the Tool publicly. The Tool will continue to be developed in the coming years.