Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-14-Speech-2-268"
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"en.20030114.8.2-268"2
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"Mr President, I too would like to join my colleagues in congratulating and thanking the rapporteur, Mr Mantovani, for his work, and also to thank the Commission for coming forward with the proposal.
Care for the frail and elderly is a challenge that faces us all and unfortunately it is one that we will probably all face ourselves at some stage in our lives. How we provide care and services for people is how we will be judged.
Health care and care of the elderly, whilst an important part of the overall health system, does not necessarily represent the overall health system. There is a tendency in the report to assume that issues concerning health care of the elderly apply to the health system as a whole. A detailed study on the financing of long-term care for older people is being carried out in my own country, Ireland. I look forward to examining the policy proposals which this will bring forward.
Particular attention has been paid in the report to meeting long-term care needs, reducing unnecessary recourse to institutional care and widening consumer choice. In Ireland we have a very active health policy to give old people a better way of life. The implications of Amendments Nos 1 to 6 run counter to this policy. I am able to support Amendments Nos 7 to 11 on replacing the 'open method of cooperation' with 'cooperation'.
Also, in the area of private financing for the health service, there must be a risk equalisation element whereby, if you bring in a private health insurer for the health care system, they must take the same risk as existing insurers or the state, which means covering everyone and all sections of society. We have been developing our own health strategy which includes payments and allowances for carers, including carers looking after two or more people.
Another aspect I want to highlight is the changing role of the family and community. We must ensure that support is put in place to allow people to remain in their families and their local communities as much as possible. In providing and caring for the elderly, that will mean utilising new technologies and new methods of ensuring that they have independent means of living and can fully participate in their own community.
All Member States have faced the same common issues: how to address the impact of demographic ageing or healthcare systems and expenditure, how to use the new technologies for the benefit of the elderly, how to ensure a better standard and quality of life for the elderly. Sharing information in these areas can only be beneficial.
I would also like to congratulate my colleague, Mr Mussa, for his work on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy in tackling issues which were not fully addressed in the Commission proposal, in particular training for health professionals, nurses and those involved in specific expert care for the elderly. These are now being included in the report by Mr Mantovani. That is a welcome move.
There are many organisations that want to work in assisting the elderly. This year – 2003 – is the year of the disabled. There are many elderly people who suffer from disabilities as well. We must ensure that we not only pay lip service to the disabled this year, but also give particular emphasis to those who cannot speak for themselves, and mostly that means the elderly disabled."@en1
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