Parallel Session B - Implementation issues Policy perspectives

Overview –Piotr Jablonski, National Bureau for Drug Prevention, PL –Albert Kern, Ministry of Health, DE –Questions and discussion

Piotr Jablonski “Standard implementation using accreditation” : basic principles –Quality improvement –Global approach: alcohol and drugs related problems built in in general accreditation system several types of centres process of care and organizational functions

Piotr Jablonski How standards are defined ? –Interdisciplinary working group –Work based on expert opinion, literature, practice and existing legislation

Piotr Jablonski Lessons learned –Be aware of resistance –Defining standards is time consuming –Increasing level of awareness of importance of having quality standards –Lack of experience in other countries slowed down the process –Rejection of centres with no accreditation –Helps funding application

Albert Kern Several actors involved in complex system Experiences in standards Questions tackled

Questions and discussion Main challenges for implementation on national level ? –Having a EU counterpart –Need to convince all stakeholders –Different languages –Financial resources

Questions and discussion How can the expected political and financial problems be met ? –Short summaries for all stakeholders –National conferences to be organised by focal points –To provide arguments to justify investments

Questions and discussion How can the expected professional concerns be met ? –Training programs and research through EU funding –conferences

Questions and discussion How are the views of service users taken into account ? –Germany : questionnaires

Questions and discussion Which legal conditions must be prepared for the implementation ? –Treaty change ?

Questions and discussion Is cooperation between EU MS useful for sharing experience and best practice and how can it be initiated or strengthened ? –Useful –Through EU funding

Discussion Do MQS save money ? –Objective is to improve better drug care system –Common goal is quality improvement and this helps to overcome professional resistance

Discussion EU funding programs for 2012 under discussion and possibility to include support for cross border projets on the subject of quality standards

Discussion How to integrate standards in existing standards used by professional associations ? –No problem if integrated, no new standards adding

Discussion What is the advantage of having common standards and monitor them ? –Useful to compare on national and EU level for authorities –Services are interested in local or regional data –EU MQS can be a benchmark and saves time and can help evaluation of national systems

Discussion Focus on DISSEMINATION and IMPLEMENTATION of standards. EMCDDA or other expert networks can play a key role in this regard.