1. Adrian M Agius Meeting of UEMS with Medical Specialist Societies Brussels 1 March 2014

2. Addressed by Dr Romuald Krjewski Directive 2011/24/EU-patients have a right to cross-border healthcare and be re-imbursed A particular problem in patients with very rare or complex diseases European Reference Networks are attempts to set up co-operation between different institutions in Europe to help treat these diseases

3. Concepts In such centres there would be pooling of knowledge and experience of dealing with particular diseases and research Improved standards of care Important for smaller countries with limited resources; patients here may have unequal access to health care in the case of rare diseases

4. Disadvantages Such centres will need investment in human and material resources No additional funding has been envisaged for these projects ?doing more with less

5. Rest of meeting-presentations by different Boards on their training programmes, visitation of centres, preparatory courses for Board exams (transplant surgery) Attendance around 60-70 representatives form different specialist societies Memorandum of understanding between the UEMS(Brussels)and section Boards aimed at improving cooperation in harmonising standards of training throughout the EU, mechanism of CME accreditation

6. Present situtation Participation in European Health Networks is voluntary Still at at the concept stage The role of the UEMS is to stimulate discussion, set standards, accredit such centres