# PHSSR launches expert advisory group to strengthen health system sustainability and resilience in the EU

18 July 2023

Recognising the increasingly important role that the European Union (EU) is playing in supporting Member State healthcare systems, the PHSSR has established an EU Expert Advisory Group to make recommendations to the EU institutions on how they can further support the sustainability and resilience of healthcare systems across the region.The PHSSR EU Expert Advisory Group is co-chaired by Dr Tomislav Sokol, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and its Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic (COVI) as well as Substitute Member and EPP Group Coordinator of the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT), and Professor Elias Mossialos, Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Director of LSE Health. Members of the group are leading experts in health policy in Europe, including senior policymakers, academics, clinicians, economists, and patient representatives, from institutions such as the European Commission, WHO and OECD, as well as Civil Society.   The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in health systems worldwide, which have been further exacerbated by other threats such as climate change, conflict, economic instability, and emerging infectious diseases. In light of these accumulating stresses, the EU has been continuously increasing its role and investment in healthcare, including coordinating aspects of health threat responses. In addition, the EU has adopted major new health initiatives including Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the “Healthier Together” EU non-communicable diseases (NCD) Initiative and the EU4Health programme, a multi-year €5.3bn investment aiming to improve public health in the EU and make the Union better prepared to cope with future health crises.   A major theme of the PHSSR’s work to date has been the challenges posed to healthcare systems from the growing burden of NCDs, as well as the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on patients with pre-existing chronic diseases. With NCDs accounting for more than 90% of deaths and 80% of the overall disease burden in the EU1,2, the Expert Advisory Group will focus its first policy report on EU measures to improve the prevention and early detection of NCDs.

The report will be launched in the European Parliament later this year. Its findings will form the basis of dialogue and discussions at EU and Member State level to increase decision-makers’ focus on initiatives on prevention and early detection of NCDs and identify effective policy responses.   Follow PHSSR’s LinkedIn channel to learn more about the EU Expert Advisory Group or get in touch with the group’s secretariat at euphssr@edelmanadvisory.com.  ____________  Members of the PHSSR EU Expert Advisory Group: Prof. Elias Mossialos (Co-Chair), Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Director of LSE Health Dr Tomislav Sokol (Co-Chair), Member of the European Parliament (EPP, Croatia), Member of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic (COVI), Substitute Member and EPP Group Coordinator of the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) Dr Andrzej Ryś, Principal Scientific Adviser, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), European Commission Dr Josep Figueras, Director and Co-founder, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Dr Oxana Domenti, World Health Organization Representative to the European Union Prof. Kostas Athanasakis, Assistant Professor in Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica Philip Haywood, Policy Analyst, Health System Resilience, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Susana Palkonen, Director, European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases (EFA) Jean-Marc Bourez, CEO, European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health Dr Paul Garassus, President, European Union of Private Hospitals (UEHP) Prof. Raymond Vanholder, President, European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), Chair, European Chronic Disease Alliance (ECDA)