The 5th International Conference on Patient Safety was held in Madrid  (Spain) on June 3-4, 2010. The main objective was to share international and national experiences in preventing healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).The speakers included a major representation of international organizations and representatives from European Union countries. On the part of the WHO, the Regional Director for Europe, Zusuzanna Jakab, gave the keynote address, setting out an overview of Europe’s current HAI and AMR-related status, the efforts which have been made to create monitoring networks and their interest in Europe taking leadership upon itself in this area. As proof of the importance the WHO places on this matter, she announced that the upcoming 2011 World Health Day will be devoted to antimicrobial resistance. Read More. See Presentations

The annual data related to Resources and protected population for 2009 and the reports on the Overall primary care organization and executive office addresses has now been updated in the Primary Care Information System

The 7th Edition – January 2010 of the International Disease Classification, Revision 9, Clinical Modification CIE-9-MC (2010), is now available on the Ministry of Health and Social Policy webpage

The 2008 In-Patient Health-Care Establishment Statistics, for both the nationwide and Autonomous Community data as well as the microdata, are now available

The national standard and tool for preparing data inquiries and basic statistics have been updated with data from the 2008 National Health System Hospital Release MBDS

The English-language version of the “Informe de Violencia de Género 2008”, the  Gender Violence 2008 Report, is now available on the Ministry of Health and Social Policy Websitel

El Gobierno destina doce millones y medio de euros para el desarrollo de varias estrategias de salud

The Health and Gender Strategy borns in the National Health System

The patient safety trainer training workshop in home care, simple practices and teaching methodology was held on June 18-19, 2010 at the Ministry of Health and Social Policy within the framework of the Citizen Patient Safety Trainer Network

On the occasion of the II World Hand Hygiene Day heldd on May 5th 2010,  the National Health System Quality Agency has prepared a special supplement on the second world hand hygiene day summarizing the institutional support and the organizations involved, the activities carried out for heightening awareness on the part of professionals, active involvement on the part of patients and their companions and furthering awareness among the community through Primary Care held for preventing infections at our health centers. See supplement

The Palliative Care Strategy Evaluation Report was approved at the National Health System Interterritorial Council Meeting held at the Ministry of Health and Social Policy on Monday, May 31st last 

[+ highlights ]

Health System manages to reduce bacterial blood infections by 40% (EuropaPress, June 5, 2010)

The EU calls for patient safety strategies to be boosted for keeping healthcare-associated infections from increasing
(Ministry of Health and Social Policy. Press Office, June 3, 2010)

Spain leads calls for urgent action to improve patient safety (WHO-Europe, 3 June 2010) (OMS, June 3, 2010)

[+ news]

• Sign-up now open for the Virtual Seminar: Integrating the gender focus into dealing with health: Concept-related and methodological contributions for bolstering quality and equality. Announced by UNESCO in collaboration with the OSM and ESPA

• European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Venice Summer School, registration is now full. (San Servolo, Venice,  July 25-31, 2010)