DR. BRONA FULLEN & MS. DEIRDRE RYAN – EUROPEAN PAIN FEDERATION EFIC & PAIN ALLIANCE EUROPE (PAE), BELGIUM
Dear reader,
We hope you are well and ready for a new year.
Recovery, Strength and a Sense of Belonging.
These words summarise the French Presidency Programme. France took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1st January 2022 and will be leading the way until 30th June 2022.
The programme will focus on three main points: a more sovereign Europe; a new European model for growth, and a human Europe. As part of a new European model for growth, the French Presidency will be focusing on technological excellence that supports innovation and the growth of European digital players. It will also develop digital health by opening negotiations on the Commission’s proposal for a European Health Data Space.
To this regard, the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) will be mainly focusing on Digital Health and Pain during the first quarter of 2022. On 31st March 2022, SIP will hold a virtual multi-stakeholder event entitled ‘How digitalising health services reduce the societal impact of pain? ’, during which the recommendations from its Position Paper on Digital Health: Pain Assessment and Quality Indicators will be discussed. The event coincides with the launch of the European Health Data space, which is expected by early April. Additionally, SIP will continue to work on employment and pain policy, as well as focusing on the very relevant topic of ICD-11 and ICF.
In addition, the European Pain Federation (EFIC), has recently joined the European Connected Health Alliance (ECHAlliance), a Global Health Connector for Digital Health, facilitating multi-stakeholder connections around ecosystems, driving sustainable change and disruption in the delivery of health and social care. We look very much forward to the many interesting outcomes of this movement.
SIP National Platforms continue to be constantly active. For example, SIP Spain will host a virtual event on 25th-26th March 2022 that will focus on the societal impact of pain in the country and attendees will be able to learn about the impact and the challenges on digitalisation, employment and cancer in patients with chronic pain.
Furthermore, SIP Portugal will launch in 2022 an interactive manual and a guide for first chronic pain consultation. Such tool and the guide will help both patients and healthcare professionals during the first chronic pain consultation. The interactive manual will be available online and will, among other things, contribute to a better diagnosis, personalised treatment and pain management.
We offer a warm welcome to Laura Thyssen Thorøe who has recently joined the EFIC team as the new Communications and Advocacy Trainee. Laura will support the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP), as well as the European Pain Federation (EFIC) activities.
In other news, Pain Alliance Europe (PAE) has welcomed their new Association and Projects Manager, Emilia Kosińska. As a partner in SIP, PAE and Emilia will keep ensuring the voice of the patient is well represented in the campaign.
Regarding the Brain, Mind and Pain (BMP) Grant, Pain Alliance Europe (PAE) is looking for projects focusing on practical solutions for chronic pain and healthy sleep. The submission deadline is 31st March. The BMP Grant aims to explore and provide practical solutions for people living with pain, and struggling with healthy sleep.
As we start this new year of intense European health policy activities, SIP looks forward to continued collaboration with our network and community in topics related to the societal impact of pain. Make sure you don’t miss out on our upcoming activities by checking out our events section.
We wish you all the best for this New Year 2022
Kind regards,
Dr. Brona Fullen, President of European Pain Federation EFIC &
Ms. Deirdre Ryan, President of Pain Alliance Europe (PAE)