Chronic Conditions: the importance of national and regional planning for the management of MSDs

Sarah Bazin, European Region World Confederation of Physical Therapy Albrecht Werner, European Commission, DG Health and Consumers

Established in September 1998 through the merger of two European organisations:

An organisation of professional associations of physiotherapists from 37 countries which must be members of the WCPT. A strong single representative organisation representing 163.000 physical therapists (these are individual members of the Member Organisations (MOs) of the ER-WCPT) The voice of physiotherapy to the European and EU authorities www.physio-europe.org

Objectives
Fit for Work a clearly defined set of priorities/actions we want to see at EU level We have a clearly defined set of priorities/actions we want to see at National/Regional level We ensure we can share good practices/ solutions/ models with the help of EU policymakers
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Case Study: France

In 2007, The French Ministry for Health developed a national public health plan for people with chronic illnesses The plan defined 4 key objectives that needed to be improved in the French health system:
Patient empowerment, health literacy Strengthen prevention policies Improve patients lives Better grasp of the illnesss impact on patients quality of life

This plan was defined as to offer a more structured and coherent approach to chronic diseases.

A holistic approach for the individual

Rising co-morbidity issues Solutions are needed which address crosscutting issues
Work! Diet Physical activity Intervention Better management and care Mental health

A holistic approach for the system

Good Work = Good Health Multi-stakeholder approach Cross-government departmental approach Breaking through silos! Access to the right healthcare professionals (HCPs) at the right time: prevention, early intervention and management EU, National and Regional action

The importance of physical activity

Physical activity can be defined as Defines physical activity as any bodily movement associated with muscular contraction that increases energy expenditure above resting levels
http://ec.europa.eu/sport/library/doc/c1/pa_guidelines_4th_co nsolidated_draft_en.pdf

Research evidence has moved from finding correlations between physical activity and health status, to identifying evidence for optimal doses.

Physical inactivity is now identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality
Benefits of regular physical activity on primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases are well recognised and now widely established

EU Physical Activity Guidelines

Recommended Policy Actions in support of health enhancing physical activity

41 Guidelines approved by the EU Working Group Sport

and Health, confirmed by EU Member States Sports Ministers in 2008

Guideline 1
a minimum of 60 minutes of daily moderate intensity physical activity for children and young people a minimum of 30 minutes daily moderate intensity physical activity for adults and seniors