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Background 

This National Workshop is one of the Emergency Preparedness Integrated Courses under Article 11 (EPIC11) project, which focuses on the provision of prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) trainings for the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health (SCBTH) in EU Member States and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The EPIC11 project was launched following the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) call for tenders on “EU preparedness: analysis, planning, reporting and training programmes for health specialists”.  

The implementation of Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on SCBTH is ongoing. One of the operational objectives is to strengthen PPR planning with targeted training and knowledge exchange activities for healthcare and public health staff (Article 11 – Regulation 2022/2371).  

The aim of the EPIC11 project is to develop an EU preparedness training programme that responds to the needs of PPR planners, managers and practitioners and addresses current gaps in EU Member States and EEA countries in relation to PPR planning. This EU preparedness training programme complements existing training programmes developed and managed by ECDC, WHO, and EC’s policy departments (DGs) such as SANTE, HERA, ECHO, and others, as well as joint actions, various EU-level projects, universities, training institutes and national institutions.  

EPIC11 is implemented by a consortium led by GFA Consulting Group GmbH (DE), KIT Royal Tropical Institute (NL), and Think Modular (AT).  

The overall project vision is to strengthen PPR capacities for future public health emergencies within and across countries through training. The EU Preparedness Training Programme will support EU Member States and EEA countries to:  

  • Build knowledge and skills for more resilient emergency management; and  
  • Strengthen communication, collaboration and coordination within and between countries.  

The foundation of the EU preparedness training programme will be based on a multi-hazard approach to health threats in a cross-sectoral and cross-border setting, focussing on serious cross-border threats to health.  

This concept note describes the National Workshop in Portugal, which will focus on preparing the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment (PHEPA) of PPR capacities under Article 8 of the SCBTH regulation and all-hazards preparedness and response plan. The PHEPA is based on the 16 competencies in the PPR report module, aiming to align self-assessment with an “external perspective,” contributing to improved planning for prevention, preparedness, and response to public health emergencies in EU Member States and EEA countries.  

The report from these external evaluations in each Member State identifies areas of good practices and provides recommendations for improving specific areas. Within nine months of receiving the PHEPA evaluation report, the country must develop an action plan addressing the recommendations proposed in the PHEPA evaluation and, to some extent, prepare for the next evaluation cycle, scheduled every three years. 

Aims and objectives 

From 3rd-7th March 2025, Portugal will undergo PHEPA Assessment under Article 8 of the SCBTH Regulation. To support this process, the National Workshop on PHEPA preparation, will bring together experts from the various sectors and networks involved in submitting international assessment forms, such as e-SPAR and PPR (Article 7), and drafting the national PPR plans. This workshop aims to enhance understanding and knowledge of the European and international assessment instruments for PPR, focusing on the practices supporting self-assessment, reporting, and the planning of external assessments. It will provide an overview of the 16 core capacities implied in PHEPA, covering more in-depth public health emergency management, surveillance, laboratory, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the provision of health services, focusing on hospital preparedness and general preparedness and response plans. This National Workshop is organised and hosted by the Directorate-General of Health / Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (DGS/CESP) in Portugal, with support from EPIC11. 

The workshop will centre on the overall external assessment process and outcomes, focusing on hospital preparedness, general preparedness and response plans, discussions on implementing the new EU Health Security Framework (HSF), and how to tailor the national PPR planning accordingly. The national workshop aims to strengthen collaborative and comprehensive preparedness and promote coordinated actions within Portugal, drawing from the experiences of neighbouring countries. 

Specifically, the objectives of the National Workshop are: 

  • To strengthen coordination and collaboration in PPR planning from a multi-stakeholder perspective. 
  • To raise awareness and create a shared understanding between different involved stakeholders around the outcomes of the PHEPA in March 2025 and prepare for the assessment, with a focus on the capacities that will be assessed in depth (3, 4, 6, 12 and 7). 
  • To identify gaps, challenges and opportunities of the PPR in preparation for the PHEPA and the action plan foreseen. 
  • To discuss the basic requirements for preparedness and response all-hazards plans with the focal points of the different involved stakeholders. 

The objectives and methodology of the National Workshop were discussed and endorsed by the host organisation. The aims, programme and methodology, including terminology used in this document, reflect the preferences of the host organisation. 

Methodology 

The national workshop will be conducted face-to-face with possible online plenary presentations and is structured to combine concise plenary sessions with focused working group discussions. Before the event, a list of preparatory materials will be shared to the participants to ensure they are familiar with foundational concepts and issues. The plenary sessions will provide participants with an overview of the new EU Health Security Framework, the supporting regulations' implications, and the PHEPA assessment's specific requirements. Presentations will also include insights from previous PHEPA implementations, such as Spain's experience, as well as updates on key tools like PPR and e-SPAR. This approach ensures that all participants start with a uniform understanding of the subject matter. 

The workshop will then focus on the compulsory competencies (3, 4, 6, 12) to be covered by the PHEPA and discussions on the optional one chosen by Portugal: Competence 7. Health Service Provision. The programme aims to provide interactive discussion and participatory activities to foster collaboration, networking and practical outcomes. During the workshop, participants will break into working groups to identify gaps, discuss priority interventions required, and propose specific strategies, including hospital preparedness and general (all-hazards) PPR plans. 

The outcomes of these discussions will be summarised into actionable next steps with a timeline in preparation for Portugal's PHEPA assessment. 

The event will be conducted in Portuguese, except for sessions delivered by international speakers, which will be done in English. 

Target audience 

The target audience for this national workshop includes key stakeholders from intersectoral networks involved in supporting the national competent entity (DGS) in public health emergency prevention, preparedness, and response activities linked to implementing the IHR through the reporting of the e-SPAR and PPR. This includes experts and representatives from national government entities in the health sector (central administration of health services, medicine authority, national reference lab, etc.) and in other sectors (food safety, environment, foreign affairs, defence) as well as academia, research institutions, and civil society. It intends to involve experts from other sectors not directly involved in reporting e-SPAR and PPR, such as finance, justice, equities, social security, and private hospitals. The national workshop aims to bring together more than 30 professionals to enhance capacities in implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 and strengthen national preparedness and response systems under the EU Health Security framework. 

Outcomes 

The National Workshop will help prepare for the PHEPA Assessment, due in March 2025. Specifically, we expect from this National Workshop:  

  • Increased awareness and shared understanding of the new EU HSF, its implications for Member States, and the process and outcomes expected from the PHEPA assessment in March 2025. 
  • Enhanced intersectoral collaboration and networking among national multisectoral stakeholders in the PPR planning area, with better-defined roles and responsibilities to minimise overlaps and address unclear or missing accountabilities. 
  • A clearer understanding of gaps and opportunities in developing and implementing PPR plans, highlighting the requirements for all-hazards plans, and assessing hospital preparedness and their alignment with PPR and e-SPAR standards. 
  • Identified priorities and recommendations within the preparation of PHEPA and its outcomes in terms of an action plan to be developed, with a roadmap for integrating key priority areas for improving prevention, preparedness and response in alignment with EU regulations.  
  • A set of actionable priority steps to advance hospital preparedness and all-hazard. 

Details

Start: January 20, 2025
End: January 22, 2025
GFA Consulting Group GmbH

Myriad by SANA Hotels, Rua Cais das Naus, Lisbona, Portogallo

Rua Cais das Naus Lote 2.21.01
1990-173 Lisboa Lisboa
Portugal

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