The Bosphorus Bridge joining Europe and Asia

Members of the European Forum for Primary Care (EFPC) and delegates from over 30 countries joined together in the EFPC conference whose theme was “Balancing The Primary And Secondary Care Provision For More Integration and Better Health Outcomes“. This was a landmark conference, symbolic in being held in the historic city of Istanbul, Turkey where Europe bridges Asia across the Bosphorus.

New members of the EFPC advisory board: Sophie Rodebjer (Dietician, Sweden) and Marije Bolt (Occupational Therapist, Netherlands)

The conference was an opportunity to build new bridges and restate the values of the EFPC which include community and person-orientated primary care, multiprofessionalism, social justice and inclusivity. As a result of a reorganisation the EFPC established a smaller executive chaired by Jan de Maeseneer (Gent, Belgium) and a new larger interdisciplinary advisory board which includes nursing, allied health (occupational therapy, dietetics, physiotherapy), health economics and general practice from many of the EU member states. In addition, the EFPC Alliance for Community Oriented Primary Care joined with counterparts in Australia, Canada, the United States and globally to form the International Federation of Community Health Centres (IFCHC)to share experiences and knowledge on the potential for CHCs to improve health and access to health care for populations around the world.

The conference had excellent keynotes on “Future challenges for the EU health workforce” (Katja Neubauer, EC), Developing a regional action framework for coordinated/integrated health services delivery in the WHO European region” (Dr Hans Kluge, WHO), “The contribution of nurses in future proof health care” (Marieke Schuumans, University of Applied Sciences

The blue mosque

Utrecht) and “Integration: examples from Turkey and Europe” (Prof. Mehtap Tatar). There were also keynotes from Dr Pavlos Theodorakis (Greek Ministry of Health) on the financial crisis and primary care in Greece and from Dr Cagri Kalaca (CEO Saglik Bahcesi) on learning pathways.

Lighting wishes over the Bosphorus

The conference was also an opportunity for Prof. Niro Siriwardena (EFPC advisory board) to present joint work from the Universities of Lincoln and Gent on “A meta-synthesis of clinicians’ experiences and perceptions of benzodiazepine prescribing: developing and integrated approach for care of insomnia and sleep problems”.

Researchers from CaHRU attended the national Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) Annual Scientific Meeting at the University of Nottingham from Wednesday 3rd – Friday 5th July 2013. The 42nd Conference of the SAPC was jointly organised by the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester, with the over-arching aim of ‘Making a Difference’. There was also an element of poignancy about the conference, dedicated as it was to the memory of Professor Helen Lester, who was hugely influential in the development of the SAPC into the thriving organisation it is today.

On the opening afternoon’s poster session, there was a lot of interest in Jo Middlemass’ work on her qualitative study of Patients’ and Clinicians’ Experiences and Perceptions of the Primary Care Management of Insomnia. The first full day opened with a keynote speech by former Health Secretary, Stephen Dorrell on the meaning of Primary Care. This was then followed by a lively session where four presenters proposed some ‘dangerous ideas’, which the audience were invited to vote on.

In the following Thursday afternoon session, there were two presentations from members of the CaHRU team. First, Coral Sirdifield presented a systematic review and meta-synthesis on ‘Clinicians’ Experiences and Perceptions of Benzodiazepine Prescribing in Western Primary Care Settings’. Later in the session, Fiona Togher presented her research on ‘What Service Users Value in their Experience of Emergency Ambulance Use’. On the final morning session of the conference, Zahid Asghar presented a ‘Self-Controlled Study on Influenza Vaccination and the Risk of Stroke’. The presentations and posters were well-received and all provoked informative discussions.

The Conference wasn’t all about work, work, work; there was also time to relax. Thursday night’s Bollywood-themed conference dinner was excellent. Delegates were provided with a rapid lesson on Indian dancing techniques such as ‘changing a light bulb’ and ‘stroking a Labrador’. The Bollywood dancers were very impressive in their hand-eye co-ordination; some of the delegates less so!

Co-Chair, Professor Kamlesh Khunti, from the University of Leicester presided over the closing session, in which a number of prizes were awarded for outstanding presentations. There was also a taster of what to expect from next year’s Conference in Edinburgh, where CaHRU will once again have a strong presence!

Viet-Hai Phung