On November 4-5, 2024, the HEROES JA Interim Event took place in Budapest, bringing together representatives from 18 member states and key European organizations. The event served as an important platform for dialogue, collaboration, and collective problem-solving, all aimed at shaping the future of sustainable healthcare workforce planning.
This gathering wasn’t just about discussions—it was about taking meaningful steps toward addressing the shared challenges faced by healthcare systems across Europe. By fostering collaboration and emphasizing the importance of evidence-based decision-making, the event provided a unique opportunity for policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to come together, exchange ideas, and align their efforts for a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce.
From engaging workshops to insightful policy dialogues, the HEROES JA Interim Event was a remarkable demonstration of what can be achieved when diverse perspectives come together with a shared purpose. Explore the key insights and outcomes from this inspiring gathering and see how it’s paving the way for real, lasting change in healthcare planning across Europe!
One of the key focuses of the HEROES JA Interim Event was fostering collaboration among member states to address shared challenges in healthcare workforce planning. The event spotlighted critical topics, including:
- Building Datasets for Better Decisions
Delegates from Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Romania, and Spain rolled up their sleeves to craft robust datasets. These aren’t just numbers—they are the building blocks for smarter, strategic workforce planning. - Connecting the Dots: Harmonizing Data Sources
From Belgium to Slovenia, countries teamed up to bridge fragmented data systems. Their goal? Unified databases that would paint a clearer picture of workforce needs. - Shining a Light on Healthcare Professionals
Teams from Belgium, Hungary, Lithuania, and others delved into the details of practicing health professionals, improving the accuracy and accessibility of essential data. - Filling Gaps in Private Sector Data
Healthcare isn’t just public—so what about private providers? Croatia, Italy, Sweden, and others focused on capturing this missing piece of the puzzle. - Forecasting the Future: Workforce Demand Indicators
To understand tomorrow’s needs, countries like Norway, Portugal, and the Netherlands developed actionable indicators for predicting demand.
These collaborations weren’t just technical exercises—they were about forging connections, building trust, and aligning visions to meet the challenges ahead. Also underscored the necessity of harmonized methodologies and collaborative action to ensure data-driven, sustainable healthcare solutions.
Participants across the HEROES JA consortium come together, from all of the18 countries, alongside representatives from major European bodies such as the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO Europe, and HADEA-DG SANTE. This collaborative approach ensured that the discussions reflected diverse perspectives and addressed common healthcare challenges at both the national and EU levels.
One of the highlight of the event was the introduction of Policy Dialogues—structured conversations designed to enhance policy-making processes. These dialogues included:
- 18 National Action Plans: Tailored strategies for improving healthcare workforce planning in each member state.
- 2 EU-Level Action Plans: Joint efforts to tackle cross-border healthcare workforce challenges.
- Reference Group Meetings: Stakeholder input facilitated the development of actionable policy briefs.
The Policy Dialogues emphasized evidence-informed decision-making, promoting consensus among policymakers, technical experts, and other key stakeholders.
The Policy Dialogues laid the groundwork for meaningful discussions, which carried over into the event’s interactive workshops, where participants took these ideas further, exploring practical solutions and new approaches together.Through interactive workshops, participants explored cutting-edge ideas, shared best practices, and worked together to find solutions:
- How can we optimize data and tools for workforce modeling?
- What training initiatives can address critical skills gaps?
- What lessons can we learn from pioneering programs like Italy’s Policy Dialogues earlier in 2024?
These sessions weren’t just informative—they were inspiring. They showed everyone the true power of working together and thinking creatively to drive change.The HEROES JA Interim Event was not just a checkpoint but a catalyst for sustained action. By bringing people together to collaborate and share ideas, it set the stage for successfully implementing the HEROES Action Plans and building stronger, more resilient healthcare systems across Europe.
Another exciting aspect of JAHEROES is just around the corner. If the journey of HEROES has sparked your interest, there’s still so much more to discover! you’re inspired by the journey of HEROES, there’s more to explore. The HEROES Community of Practice (CoP) is an open platform for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and building partnerships. It’s a place where the conversation continues, and the seeds of innovation are nurtured into transformative change.
Join us – and be part of the story shaping the future of healthcare in Europe.
