Day 1: Thursday 16 March 2006

08.30 Registration

09.00 Opening remarks by Godfrey Perera, General Secretary European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) and Jan Willem Goudriaan, Deputy General Secretary European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU).

09.10 Welcome by Jackie Morin, Head of Unit (Social Dialogue), DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission

09.30 Overview of progress to date 2000-2006

Valeria Ronzitti, HOSPEEM

Tamara Goosens, EPSU Political Officer, EPSU

09.45 First Session - Identifying common positions for cross-border recruitment of hospital personnel Chair - Christina Carlsen, Danish Regions, Denmark (HOSPEEM)

Presentation of jointly commissioned research on cross-border recruitment - Kate McPhillips (ECOTEC)

Presentation case study - Marco Borsboom, Abvakabo FNV, Netherlands (EPSU) Presentation case study UK - Foluke Ajayi, Head of NHS Careers, United Kingdom (HOSPEEM)

Dr. Jamie Harrison, GP Advisor Department of Health, United Kingdom (HOSPEEM)

Questions and debate

11.15 Coffee Break

11.30 Second Session - Identifying Member State and regiol initiatives to promote realistic active ageing policies

Chair - Kim Øst-Jacobsen, DNO, Denmark (EPSU)

Presentation of jointly commissioned research on measures to counteract the ageing workforce in the hospital sector - Anne-Mari Nevala (ECOTEC)

Presentation case study - Ernst-Otto KOCK, Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit GmbH, Germany (HOSPEEM)

Presentation case study - Leif Nordin, Kommunal, Sweden (EPSU)

Questions and debate

13.00 Lunch

14.30 Third Session - Defining existing categories of hospital professionals and workers. Identifying successful training initiatives and weak points

Chair - Brendan Mulligan, HSE-EA, Ireland (HOSPEEM)

Presentation of jointly commissioned research on new skill needs in the hospital sector - Anne-Mari Nevala (ECOTEC)

Presentation case study - Ivana Brenkova, TUHSSC, Czech Republic (EPSU) Presentation case study - Marta Branca, ARAN, Italy

Questions and debate

16.00 Close Session and explanation of second day of conference

16.15 Coffee table

19.00 Conference Dinner (separate invitation)

Day 2: Friday 17 March 2006

10.00 Press conference and formal announcement of intention to launch a sectoral social dialogue committee in the European hospital sector.

Godfrey Perera, General Secretary European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM)

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel General Secretary European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)

Formal signing of HOSPEEM/ EPSU work programme 2006-2007

10.45 Outline and explanation of Workshops

11.00 Coffee Break

11.20 Workshops:

Workshop I: Recruitment and Retention

Chair: Rossana Dettori, FP-CGIL, Italy (EPSU)

Rapporteur: Leif Lindberg, SALAR, Sweden (HOSPEEM)

Workshop II: The ageing workforce in the Hospital Sector

Chair: Hélène Boyer, FHF, France (HOSPEEM)

Rapporteur: Sheelagh Brewer, RCN, United Kingdom (EPSU)

Workshop III: Assessment of skill needs in the Hospital Sector

Chair: Inta Gavarina, LVSADA, Latvia (EPSU)

Rapporteur: Veronique Feijen, STAZ, Netherlands

13.00 Lunch

14.30 Report back from workshops

15.15 Plenary discussion on specific features to focus on in the future formal social dialogue

Karen Jennings, President of the EPSU Standing Committee on Health and Social Services

Christina Carlsen, Deputy Secretary-General HOSPEEM

16.00 Closing Statements and End of conference by Godfrey Perera, General Secretary European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) and Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, General Secretary, European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)