Match-making of the Health Programme

Department 58 – International Relations

Published 6-2-2019

Updated 8-2-2019

8-2-2019Change of presentations enclosed

Representatives of patient organizations, mental health professionals and other health and social care specialists exchanged information and sought for cooperation with colleagues from Norway and Iceland.

Training for parents and teachers in the mental health area, early recognition of dementia or strengthening the role of patients in the development of health policy. Sharing experience and possible cooperation in above mentioned thematic areas were discussed among Czech representatives and their Norwegian and Icelandic counterparts at the match-making seminar, which took place in mid-January in the Kaiserštejn Palace in the centre of Prague.

The seminar organized by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health attended approximately 60 participants out of which 14 were representatives of Norwegian and Icelandic organizations. In the morning part of the seminar, information about the focus of the Health programme and its expected implementation schedule were presented. Experiences with projects from previous period of the EEA and Norway Grants were then introduced by prof. Milan Macek from the University Hospital Motol in Prague and by Bror Just Andersen from Vestre Viken clinic based in Drammen, Norway, which participated as a partner in implementation of three projects in the Czech Republic in the field of mental health. One of these projects was focused on implementation of new innovative system of care for mentally ill patients in the psychiatric hospital in Šternberk.

Afternoon part of programme was focused exclusively on the match-making and networking of Czech and foreign participants. One of the goals of the EEA Grants is to support bilateral relations aiming at implementation of as many joint projects with partner from Norway, Iceland of Lichtenstein as possible. Thanks to established cooperation, experience and good practice can be shared, which can be beneficial for both Czech and foreign organizations.

During the afternoon networking part, participants were divided into several smaller groups, in which they discussed measures and activities they might realize within the EEA Grants projects. “Our intention was to make seminar interesting and useful for participants. Therefore, we divided participants into smaller groups so that they could have closer contact with potential partner and could discuss better their ideas about future projects” said Petr Čermák from the Ministry of Health.

Initial networking at the seminar represents just the first step in establishing future cooperation between Czech and foreign organizations. “We provided Czech organizations with the possibility to meet organizations from Norway and Iceland focused on similar activities and areas. Judging from many discussions, debates and talks among Czech and foreign participants, the main purpose of the seminar was achieved. The further development of contacts is now up to organizations“, added Lenka Šlitrová from the Ministry of Finance. The seminar also received positive feedback from the participants themselves: “Thank you for organizing this seminar and having the opportunity to participate in it. We are already looking for possibilities of developing partnership with organization in Norway”, concluded Jiřina Landová from organization Unie ROSKA, which helps patients with multiple sclerosis and their relatives.

You can download the seminar brochure and presentations from the seminar below