Labour Mobility Report shows support for the creation of a CTF

31 January 2018

On 31st January 2018, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) released its Labour Mobility Report during an event hosted on its premises. Representatives of the European Commission, fellow pharmacy organisations and other associations working on the realisation of a Common Training Framework (CTF) had the opportunity to learn more about the views of hospital pharmacists on labour mobility and EAHP's CTF project.

The report summarises the findings of the survey activity on the attitudes and perspectives of hospital pharmacists on labour mobility by EAHP. The results collected from the 1039 participating hospital, clinical and community pharmacists in this document are descriptive and represent a snapshot of the current position. Overall, the information collected via the survey shows that hospital pharmacists have an appetite for labour mobility which is currently not realised due to recognition barriers.

The survey activity forms part of EAHP's CTF project which the associations embarked on in 2014. Its initiation was influenced on the one hand by the Pharmine project and on the other hand by the 2013 amendment of the Professional Qualification Directive which created the possibility to set up common training frameworks. In the first stage of the CTF project, EAHP worked on securing voluntary agreement across countries about the knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviours that underpin advanced practice in the hospital sector.

Overall, 85% of hospital pharmacists and heads of hospital pharmacy that participated in the survey would support the creation of a CTF for the hospital pharmacy specialisation. Development of the profession, facilitation of exchange of expertise, standardisation in the quality of education and increase of mobility opportunities are in their opinion benefits to be gained by creating a new tool for automatic cross-border recognition of the hospital pharmacy specialisation.

Moreover, the standardisation of professional training would not only lead to an overall enhancement of the hospital pharmacy profession, but also provide a tremendous improvement in patient care in Europe. Every patient deserves high quality and safe care. Accordingly, patient care needs to be supported by healthcare professionals who are qualified and knowledgeable to the required level in order to provide the patient with optimal treatment. In this sense, the hospital pharmacy specialisation could be achieved by means of a Common Training Framework, being a foundation stone for achieving the best care for patients in hospitals.

The results of the survey make it clear that hospital pharmacists are interested in pursuing their free movement rights. A CTF for the hospital pharmacy specialisation would in the eyes of the survey participants loosen perceived barriers to labour mobility in Europe and make the comparability of competencies, knowledge and skills possible across the continent. In addition, it would set an educational benchmark for all European countries to strive for.

ENDS

For further information contact info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 669 2513

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) is an association of national organisations across 35 countries representing hospital pharmacists at European and international levels. More information about the EAHP and its history here.

2. A CTF - in accordance with Article 49a of the Professional Qualifications Directive - outlines a common set of minimum knowledge, skills and competences necessary for the pursuit of a specific profession. The adoption process for a CTF may be triggered by professional organisations on European level, provided that the profession concerned is regulated in at least 1/3 of the Member States whose combined education and training programmes are reflected in terms of the knowledge, skills and competences in the framework. The preparation of the framework should follow a transparent process which aims at enabling more professionals to move across Member States and takes the levels of the European Qualification Framework as a basis. The final Common Training Framework is adopted by means of a Delegated Act by the European Commission.

3. The Labour Mobility Report is available here.

4. More information about the CTF project is available here.

5. Requests for interviews can be made by contacting info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 669 2513