EU4Health programme

EU4HEALTH

New funding opportunities for HSE service areas under the EU4health Programme

There are significant new funding opportunities for HSE service areas in 2022, as €835 million will be made available to EU members under the EU4health Programme.

The EU4Health Programme is an integral part of the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and post-COVID-19 recovery.

In terms of key priorities for funding, the 2022 programme is based around five key strands: • Crisis preparedness and preventing shortages of medicines • Disease prevention, early detection and health promotion • Research that supports the fight against cancer and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan • Reforming and strengthening health systems and the healthcare workforce • Health digitalisation

The EU4Health Programme will support a wide range of actions across these strands.

The HSE EU and North South Unit are tasked with co-ordinating HSE funding applications and are contacting senior managers of the relevant areas directly to identify projects or programmes that suit the funding criteria.

Joe Ryan, National Director for Operational Performance and Integration, said the opportunities the programme provides “will contribute significantly to the post Covid-19 recovery.”

“I welcome the significant funding o ering from the Programme in 2022.”

Paula Keon, Assistant National Director at the HSE’s EU and North South Unit, said the EU4Health Programme “provides an added dimension to EU Investment in health across member states addressing the post pandemic recovery.”

“The EU and North South Unit looks forward to working closely with HSE colleagues in developing new funding proposals and taking full advantage of the collaborative opportunities o ered by EU4Health,” she said.

The first wave of Open Calls was recently announced while application deadlines for the remaining priority areas have yet to be finalised. Regular calls for proposals will be issued throughout 2022 and communicated to the relevant HSE Managers. Individuals are not eligible to apply for grants under the EU4Health Programme.

For further information on EU4Health HSE, contact Michael O’Brien, Corporate Business Manager, EU and North South Unit. E-mail: Michael.obrien15@hse.ie Phone: 071-9820430/087-7102641. Full details on EU4Health and the 2022 work programme: www.hrb.ie/funding/ eu-funding-support/eu4healthinformation/

EXWELL PROGRAMME HELPING RECOVERY PROCESS

The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group have just started a new ExWell Medical Programme which o ers specially tailored exercise classes to people recovering from a serious illness. Participants must be referred by a medical professional and the classes are free of charge and funded by Dublin Midland Hospital Group.

The special fi tness classes are delivered by a highly trained instructor and are currently taking place at Athlone Regional Sports Centre. The aim is to provide e ective, high quality, safe and accessible exercise rehabilitation to those with chronic illnesses.

This brand new programme has just begun after a very successful pilot project that Tullamore Hospital undertook with Exwell Medical in 2021. The results of the pilot, attended by nearly 100 participants on medical referral from the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore and from local GPs, showed dramatic improvements in strength, aerobic fi tness, frailty and self-rated health. The participants' feedback was that the classes were really enjoyable and safe.

One of the participants of the pilot programme Colm Connolly, said "When my doctor suggested I do this programme, I must admit I was hesitant. But now 12 weeks later, I am so glad I took his advice … I’ve lost a stone in weight, I can walk a lot more and I can now do the whole hour of class without getting breathless.”

ExWell Medical is a social enterprise pursuing the mission of transforming the lives of people and families living with the burden of chronic illness through community-based exercise programmes. One of their key aims is to provide social interaction, which tackles the loneliness that so often accompanies chronic illness.