Following the decision on dedication 2010 to the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, the Commissioner Vladimír Špidla said: "Europe is one of the richest regions in the world and yet 78 million people live at risk of poverty. This is completely unacceptable." Studies have also shown that difficulties in accessing healthcare are compounded by poverty and social exclusion, and visa versa (March 2008, Manuscript EC). The EU needs to do more and to change their approach.
This consortium of Health, Educational and Social Sciences networks, that have collaborated over three years in the Human Archipelago likes to draw the attention on health inequalities, related to disadvantaged groups and aim to develop new competences and approaches in higher education focusing on affordable health care, health literacy and empowerment of the client and their community. Further study should include as well good practice of tailored prevention and health promotion for people at risk of social exclusion and integrated care models.
Special emphasis will be put on the Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) approach and the relation with social services. Through this focus professionals and the local population attached to health and social centres will automatically have more attention for poverty problems. The role of schools in acting as centres for local community development will be stressed as well.
The following actions will be undertaken:
The uniqueness of this interdiciplinary collaboration and dissemination of results to over 1500 institutions all over Europe, will contribute to the competences of future health, social and educational workers in combating poverty.
Questions or remarks to Hanneke van Bruggen
