The Joint Action NFP4Health, which is funded by the European Public Health Programme and coordinated by the Italian Ministry of Health with the support of the ProMIS network, has set the ambitious goal of reinforcing the network of National Focal Points and creating sustainable actions to pursue the health objectives of 2021-2027.
The project started on the 1st of October 2021 and is set to last 40 months. Through the Joint Action, National Focal Points aim at providing equal opportunities to access the EU4HEALTH programme and ensure the complementarity of other regional, national and EU policies, funds and programmes.
In empowering the capacity of the NFP's, the Joint Action has the objective of maximising the potential of their health fundings to increase the sustainability of the health systems. To reach these ambitious aims, it has set specific objectives ranging from helping health authorities orient to the European programs to aiding NFPs in building the skills and capacity to implement the EU4Health programme and its instruments.
The Joint Action also aims to aid the competent health authorities in creating a multi-programme approach within the framework of funding managed at national/regional/local level. The end results are expected to be manifestation of a common minimum standard that defines the role of the NFP, an increased sustainability of health systems, improved use of EU funding available and better use of the new areas and instruments of the EU4Health programme. The Joint Action NFP4Health offers an innovative ecosystem to facilitate and support European countries in achieving the priorities of the health objectives set for the period 2021-2027.
Considering the transversality of Health and its implications affecting different areas and actors, the JA is strongly committed in supporting the cooperation with other EU initiatives and programmes involved in the health promotion to avoid overlaps and efforts.
As part of its efforts to promote synergies between EU4Health and other EU programmes the JA recently supported the organisation of the event
“Synergies across the EU Funding Programmes managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency - HaDEA" that has represented an occasion to stimulate and boost synergies among the EU programmed managed by HaDEA and respective networks.
Specifically, in the framework of the WP5’s activities, the deliverable "Report on the state-of-play of interactions between EU4Health National Focal Points and National Focal Points/National Contact Points of
other health-related EU funds and programmes, highlights the interactions developed at the national level among other health related programmes as a result of a survey targeting the NFPs.
As mentioned, the project is devoted to the support of the EU4Health programme implementation, therefore a consolidated transnational training programme dedicated to the strengthening of NFPs capacity building has been rolled out.
Within the WP6 key activities, the training programme represents a valid indicator assessing the NFPs performance. Specifically, the onsite and online editions are targeting both technical and soft skills development: EU4Health Regulation, Work Programmes publication, instruments, project management, NFP Team organisation.
Among other key deliverables, the NFPs Interaction Platform represents a concrete tool contributing to the reinforcement of the network and ensuring a strong and efficient communication channel.
While the Consortium is intensely working towards the support of the current actions, the preparatory tasks for the NFPs Network Sustainability Plan have started. The deliverable is expected to define a measurable sustainable strategy contributing to a strong impact on the improvement in the network's efficiency standards beyond 2025 by setting long term goals involving key European and national actors.
Furthermore, an E-Manual, available on its website, provides a brief history of the European Union and the instruments (regarding seven-year financial programming) that enable Member States and stakeholders to participate in joint and transversal actions specifically in the field of health. Additionally, the E-Manual provides step-by-step guidance on how to develop and execute project proposals and effectively manage approved ones.