Tuesday, 24 April 2018

In partnership with WHO Europe, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Institute of Public Health in Slovenia, the Centre for Health and Development Murska Sobota is organising the Spring School on Whole of society approach and the role of primary health care in populations health, prevention and intersectoral action for health equity and well-being. The School takes place in Ljubljana from 23rd to 25th of April 2018. While Monday, the first day, was dedicated to health workers and stakeholders from Slovenia, Tuesday and Wednesday are international days and are open to international participants around the world.

The second day was held on Tuesday, 24. April 2018 at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Ljubljana.

Peter Beznec welcomed the participants from seven European countries. Vesna Kerstin-Petrič, on behalf of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia, warmly welcomed the participants and presented some of the key activities and challenges they face at the Ministry, and wished the participants a very successful job. Dr. Darina Sedlakova, Head of the WHO Country Office in Slovenia, presented the strategy Health 2020 and whole of society approach linked to Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Laurentino Jose Marti Aguasca from WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care in Almaty presented The role of primary care in population health and prevention.

Rene Loewenson from TARSC held an interactive presentation and participatory session on How do we understand social participation and power in health, what role does it play in local health systems and what obstacles are faced in implementing it?

There was also work in groups, while three lectures posed questions:

• Analysing challenges and enablers for good cross-sectoral cooperation – negotiation skills and health diplomacy (Michaela Told from Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva)
• What can health managers and personnel do to improve social participation and public roles in health systems? (Rene Loewenson, TARSC)
• What can primary care do to improve population based services and services for vulnerable groups? (David Pattison, Consultant)

The groups conducted interesting, professional and practical workshops and reported in the discussion. This ended the second day of the Spring School 2018.

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

The third day of the Spring School 2018 was held on Wednesday, April 25, 2018.

The first part of the last day of the meeting was aimed at presenting the role of basic health care in ensuring equity in health and well-being of the population through cross-sectoral cooperation in individual European regions and countries. The aforementioned role of basic health care was provided by participants and speakers from Flanders, Veneto, Catalonia, Wales and Slovenia.

After the presentation, a group workshop with moderated discussions followed. Participants who were divided into groups with representatives from the regions of Wales, Flanders, Veneto and Catalonia had the opportunity to learn more about each region and the functioning of health care. Because groups were alternately switched to individual representatives of the regions, they were making good use of the time they were assigned by asking many questions.

After intensive discussions, the groups reported back. With the address of the facilitator David Pattison and Peter Beznec, the director of the Centre for Health and Development Murska Sobota, the Spring School 2018 concluded.