European Parliament Intensive Care Interest Group

PURPOSE

The critical role played by ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges faced by Intensive Care professionals has led to the establishment of the European Parliament Intensive Care Interest Group.

The group represents a dedicated, separate and specialised space to discuss healthcare policy in the EU and Intensive Care Medicine, which has not previously existed in any form within the European Parliament.

The goal is to facilitate dialogue between Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the Intensive Care Medicine community on all matters directly connected to the functioning of Europe’s ICUs and the field of Intensive Care Medicine. This exchange will be especially beneficial in the context of future crises for which the EU is taking steps to improve preparedness.


MAIN TOPICS

Meetings of the group will provide the opportunity for MEP participants to speak and for relevant guests to participate and offer expert insights. The topics of discussion within the Interest Group will include:

  • Intensive Care Medicine in light of EU health policy
  • Conditions faced by the EU’s ICU healthcare workforce
  • The quality and availability and training in Intensive Care Medicine in Europe
  • Recognition of Intensive Care Medicine qualifications in Europe
  • The improvement of Intensive Care Medicine in less developed countries
  • The preparedness of Europe’s ICUs in emergency contexts

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

  • Accomplish a real pan-European understanding of ICUs in Europe
  • Advocate for the mutual recognition of the profession of intensivist everywhere in Europe
  • Create a platform where politicians and experts discuss this important topic and further develop the European Health Union by including the ICM

CO-CHAIRS

Sirpa Pietikäinen is a Finnish Member of the European Parliament since 2008.

Pietikäinen also serves as a member of the European Parliament Working Group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development; and as a member of the MEP Heart Group (sponsored by the European Heart Network (EHN) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)).

István Ujhelyi was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2014.

He has since been serving as vice chairman of the Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Before joining the European Parliament, Dr Ujhelyi served as MP in the National Assembly of Hungary between 2002 and 2014.


EPIC-IG SECRETARIAT

Please feel free to send in suggestions of discussion topics for the interest group.

If you wish to be part of the group, you can contact us at Epic-ig@esicm.org.

The group EPIC-IG was established at the end of January 2022 and a second meeting was held in October of the same year.


Our third meeting was held in Strasbourg on 11 July, 2023 and focused on healthworkers’ mental well-being.

The European Parliament’s Intensive Care Interest Group issued a Joint Declaration, that was sent to the European Commission and the health ministers of the 27 Member States, in which they urge them to address mental health in every legislation following a “mental health in all policies strategy”.

The Chair of EPIC-IG, MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, said that while welcoming the Commission’s communication on mental health published on 7 June, it lacks emphasis on improving the work-life balance and its mental health risks.

The communication issued by the Commission reads that “member states are also encouraged to raise awareness of mental health issues among professionals and develop and implement policies and best practices so that we can strengthen the resilience of essential workers”, which according to the interest group is not enough.

The declaration also asks for a specific name and definition of Burnout Syndrome that would apply concretely to healthcare professionals in intensive care units and their particular working environment.

“To deliver the best possible care, a team needs to be in a good mental health condition”, said Elie Azoulay, ESICM President.


Read more about it in our latest newsletter.

For more information on the Interest Group on Intensive Care Medicine, please contact the Secretariat at epic-ig@esicm.org.

Members of the European Parliament are welcome to become participants of the Interest Group and are invited to attend meetings and contribute constructively to discussions. Participants are asked to participate in discussions in a friendly manner and within the scope defined in this charter.

A personal commitment and interest in the subject of European critical care, the interests of healthcare workers and patients is essential.