Human rights conventions require these services be founded on the principles of respect, equality, and enabling access.
All inhabitants of the EU have the right to the highest attainable standard of the quality of health care and health education, no matter how health systems have been structured (private, public or mixed).
This includes preventive, curative and palliative health care, as well as mental health care. It also includes the underlying social determinants of health, such as safe food, potable water, basic sanitation and adequate housing, safe and healthy working conditions and a healthy environment.
An adequate level of health care can only be provided if the health care workers are paid a decent wage and enough equipment and medicines are available. Training and employing enough medical professionals is necessary to reduce waiting lists and keep medical professionals working in the field.
Health care costs should either be paid for by public funds, public health insurance, or a combination of both. Health insurance should be mandatory, affordable for all EU citizens regardless of income level, and coordinated between EU countries.
Contents
Availability & Comfort of the Patient
The Pirates want equal access to health care for every inhabitant of the EU, irrespective of the resources available to a state, and support:
- No discrimination (direct or indirect) in access to health care, irrespective of the resources available to a state.
- Health goods and services should be accessible to everyone. States must ensure that no persons face barriers in accessing their right to health, including access to information about health and health services.
- Health goods and services affordable for everybody regardless of their income level.
- Health laws and policies designed and implemented in a transparent manner and with meaningful participation of persons affected by it. All health systems must include a framework for accountability, which should include access to effective judicial or other appropriate measures for violations of the right to health.
- Free access to prenatal care for all pregnant women, with a focus on both physical and mental well-being.
- Adequate perinatal care
- Free guidance by public health nurses and doctors, monitoring the physical and mental health and development of children in their families.
- Preventing and fighting poverty. Poverty leads to poor health in children through, e.g. poor diet, inadequate housing, stress, and feelings of inferiority.
- In order to ensure the mobility of nurses within the EU, all countries should conform to the same minimum academic standards in training.
- Easier cross-border care utilization. Improving opportunities to use health care systems abroad with the coverage of domestic health insurance companies.
- Cross-border care should not lead to the implementation of policies that violate privacy, nor the decentralization of data or patients’ control and consent over the use of their data.
- EU health card for the world: Negotiation of the validity of the European Health Insurance Card (Blue Card) in third countries.
Patents and Technology
Reducing the number and lifetime of patents for medicines or at least avoiding administrative prolongation of patents. Publicly funded medicines, including e.g. COVID-related vaccines, should be available under patent-free open-source licenses.
The Pirates demand that Europe strengthens its sovereignty on active ingredient and medicines production.
Pirates demand that Europe improve its sovereignty in producing and developing biomedical equipment.
Apps and equipment that measure biomedical data, including menstruation and fitness apps, should fully comply with the GDPR and never be used for biometric mass surveillance.
The European Pirate Party demands adequate data protection for the European Health Data Space. We understand that health data is useful for science, but it can be misused by, e.g. insurance companies and employers.
Health data must be anonymized and encrypted. To this end, it must be clearly defined where it is stored and when and by whom it may be used.
Right to Bodily Autonomy
The European Pirate Party considers bodily autonomy to be an essential human right. Therefore, all medical procedures must be based on informed consent obtained without coercion.
Bodily autonomy implies that safe and legal abortion be available to all, no matter the reason for their choice. We also demand free access to contraceptives, including both male and female sterilization.
That all medical procedures must be based on informed consent obtained without coercion is particularly true for those related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. As such, we demand the criminalization of sex corrective procedures done on intersex infants unless it is absolutely medically necessary.
In addition, we demand an informed consent model for gender-affirming care, made affordable and accessible. Neither legal gender recognition nor access to medical or surgical sex reassignment should be made conditional on abusive requirements such as a psychiatric diagnosis, normative gender expression, or medical procedures.
We will work towards creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can freely express their gender identity and sexual orientation without fear of discrimination or violence.
Free Movement of Workers
EU nationals working in another EU country have to overcome dozens of administrative obstacles to work in and fully integrate into another EU country – especially different social security systems, different nature of the payment into these systems, registration in health care systems and many more. Therefore, the EU should encourage its member states to continue removing administrative barriers to the free movement of workers by harmonising social security systems and public healthcare systems, especially the harmonisation of payments into these systems and sharing the information between member states.
Fighting Discrimination
We propose policies that promote equal rights and opportunities for all individuals regardless of gender or sexual orientation. We prioritize mainstreaming gender equality and LGBT+ rights. This would involve ending discrimination and violence against women and LGBT+ individuals, promoting reproductive health and rights, and ensuring equal pay and employment opportunities. We believe that recognition of same-sex marriage and parenthood should be enshrined.
Just Transition
As advocates of the digital and green transitions, we acknowledge the interconnectedness of social, digital, and environmental issues, especially in certain regions. Therefore, we promote adequate EU funding to the most impacted regions and for the development of new required skills. We push for life-long learning via up-skilling and re-skilling, for instance. Ensuring that science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors are appropriately staffed, with a view to integrating underrepresented categories, is a priority.
As part of the no-one left behind policy, we believe that providing funding to vulnerable persons/households for their transition regarding transport, heating, insulation, etc., is necessary.
Social Standards
Pirates defend the idea of universal access to education, knowledge, healthcare and adequate social protection. On the latter, we need to protect vulnerable groups from poverty and exclusion, including through policies that guarantee a minimum income and satisfactory social services.
Workers shall be granted appropriate and good working conditions. Teleworking and platform work are becoming more prominent but still facing regulatory gaps. We must ensure that new forms of work are not enhancing employees’ surveillance nor degrading their working conditions and rights.
European countries shall ensure adequate wages for the employees working in European Economic Area. While we recognize that uniformly defining an adequate wage is impossible in current Europe, we believe employees shall be provided with transparent access to information and proper legal protection to be able to negotiate fair wages. No double standard for refugees and other non-citizens working in Europe shall be allowed. Further research and pilot projects for universal basic income are welcomed.
European Pension Fund
Our goal is a truly social Europe with comparable social rules and comparable pension conditions for all Europeans. Pension regulation should not cause an even fiercer race of the poor against the very poor.
Multiple countries face crises of national pension schemes due to demographic changes and migration between European countries. Therefore Pirates propose to establish a common European pension fund. The fund shall not be considered a replacement of national pension schemes but rather an additional complement to them to provide necessary minimum income where needed. No one in Europe shall face poverty in old age. The pensions shall be available fairly to everybody, without needless restrictions based on age or other criteria.
Mental Health Care: Enhancing Prevention, Improving Care, and Promoting Education
Introduction:
Effective mental health care requires a comprehensive approach encompassing prevention, care, and education. By addressing these aspects, we can strive for a society that supports individuals with mental health difficulties and promotes their well-being. This text explores key points in mental health care and highlights the need for greater accessibility, destigmatization, inclusion, and education.
Prevention:
Prevention is paramount when it comes to mental health. To achieve this, we must focus on providing greater access to mental health services throughout communities. This necessitates establishing a well-developed service network readily available to all individuals, regardless of their geographical location. By ensuring that mental health services are accessible, we can effectively support those in need and mitigate the potential for mental health issues to escalate.
In addition to accessible services, community care should be recognized as a valuable resource in promoting mental health. By fostering supportive community environments, we can create networks that help individuals overcome challenges and maintain their mental well-being. Simultaneously, it is essential to destigmatize the field of psychiatry, making it more attractive and encouraging individuals to pursue careers in this vital area of healthcare.
Care:
When it comes to mental health care, prioritizing street work and outpatient care over residential services is crucial. Residential psychiatric services tend to be costly, so it is essential to involve field and prevention teams more extensively. This approach allows for earlier interventions, reducing the need for more intensive and expensive residential care. Furthermore, emphasizing the rights of psychiatric patients is essential to ensure their dignity, autonomy, and proper treatment within the healthcare system.
In order to promote greater inclusion in society, it is essential to create an environment that supports individuals with mental health difficulties. This entails providing adequate support throughout life, with particular attention to youth and seniors. Implementing early intervention and preventive measures can contribute significantly to improving mental health outcomes and reducing the long-term impact of mental health issues.
Education:
Addressing the affordability and availability of child and adolescent mental health care is imperative. Immediate action should be taken to ensure that these services are accessible to all who require them. Additionally, efforts should be made to simplify the process of preparing mental health experts, including support for the initiatives of organizations like the European Association for Psychotherapy. This will expand the availability of psychotherapy and make it more widely accessible.
Recognizing the importance of mental health, schools should prioritize it as a key aspect of education. Integrating mental health as a priority within the school curriculum can foster awareness, understanding, and emotional well-being among students. Moreover, empowering nurses by strengthening their specialization training in psychiatry can enhance the overall quality of mental health care delivery.
Conclusion:
A comprehensive approach to mental health care encompasses prevention, care, and education. By providing greater access to services, destigmatizing the field, prioritizing community care, and promoting inclusion and early intervention, we can enhance mental health outcomes for individuals throughout their lives. Additionally, addressing the affordability and availability of mental health care, simplifying the education and recognition process, and integrating mental health into school curricula are vital steps in building a society that prioritizes mental well-being for all.