Sarah Thomson

“why the fuck are we invading Venezuela” should really be on at least a couple of chyrons

Join us in Brussels or online for a hybrid event on Monday 26 May 2025:

How can Europe sustain affordable access to health care? Re-thinking health financing policy in an age of uncertainty

Information & registration: bit.ly/26hebx

#EU4HEALTH 🇪🇺 #WHOBarcelona

🪙 How does population ageing affect health system financial sustainability & affordable access to health care?

Join live to find out 👉 19 March 10:00 CET

www.who.int/europe/news-... w/ @sarahthomson.bsky.social

Organised by @who.int Europe #WHOBarcelona Office & supported by ec.europa.eu DG SANTE

This is a really excellent paper from Italy that shows that austerity fuels far right support. Part of the nostalgia for the past that the populists drew on is a nostalgia for a visible and effective public service. 1/

Op-Ed led by Katri Bertram and Justin Koonin

One of the biggest challenges to advancing universal health coverage is how we talk about it.

In a new @bmj.com op-ed, we argue that the narrative on UHC can be simplified around four core elements:

✅ Universality
✅ Equity
✅ Financing
✅ Health emergency preparedness

www.bmj.com/content/387/...

The rich will pay up when prodded. So let’s make tax-collecting great again | Torsten Bell Investing more in revenue services pays dividends in returns to government coffers, new US research shows

One way to get more of what we want - affordable access to health care for everyone - is to invest in better tax systems

#taxation #taxjustice

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Evidence abandoned: Trump’s cabinet and the fallout for science Trump’s presumptive cabinet raises fears for population health given its anti-science bias. Christina Pagel and colleagues argue that the UK scientific establishment should practice solidarity and res...

Given Trump's cabinet picks, now is the time to stand up for science, not appeasement. Here's how:
1. Support US colleagues
2. Strengthen our own institutions
3. Challenge policies running counter to evidence
4. Tackle disinformation

www.bmj.com/content/387/... via @bmj.com

🦋 En @elpais.com ya tenemos botoncico para maripostear 🦋

Cover page of WHO/European Observatory Policy Brief 67, "Health as a driver of political participation and preferences: Implications for policy-makers and political actors," by Nolan M. Kavanagh and Anil Menon.

🚨 NEW REVIEW 🚨

Who participates in the democratic process? Who trusts public institutions? And who turns toward anti-democratic political movements?

In a new review for WHO, we emphasize that people's health is central to these questions.

🧵 1/8

Today, we published our estimate of the impact of measures in the budget on social care providers. @cglobont.bsky.social sets it all out in this handy thread 👇. With many thanks to @sallygainsbury.bsky.social for her support & guidance & to many in the sector who we tested our assumptions on.

Health, the missing chapter in the Draghi Report on Europe's future

Mario Draghi’s report on productivity in the EU had a major omission - health. A healthy workforce and strong health systems are essential prerequisites. @tamarahervey.bsky.social @deruijter.bsky.social & I have provided the missing chapter

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Three umbrellas

Are you at #HSR2024 in Nagasaki, Japan?

Join #WHOBarcelona to find out about new WHO/Europe digital platform #UHCwatch - tracking progress on affordable access to health care in 45 countries in Europe & central Asia

1610 on Wednesday 20 November in Room 109

Three umbrellas

Are you at #HSR2024 in Nagasaki, Japan?

Join #WHOBarcelona to find out about new WHO/Europe digital platform #UHCwatch - tracking progress on affordable access to health care in 45 countries in Europe & central Asia

1610 on Wednesday 20 November in Room 109

Health at a Glance: Europe 2024 The 2024 edition of Health at a Glance: Europe examines the major challenges facing European health systems in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report includes two thematic chapters. The fi...

Just out from the OECD & the EU – the 2024 edition of Health at a Glance in Europe

The section on financial hardship contains updated numbers on catastrophic out-of-pocket payments from #WHOBarcelona

These numbers are also available via #UHCwatch

www.oecd.org/en/publicati...

The room is set up and ready for the #WHOBarcelona course

The 12th #WHOBarcelona Course on Health Financing for Universal Health Coverage starts on Monday 30 September 2024

A unique opportunity to work with 66 policymakers and experts from 25 countries in Europe and central Asia

65 legisladores y expertos, y yo

The room is set up and ready for the #WHOBarcelona course

The 12th #WHOBarcelona Course on Health Financing for Universal Health Coverage starts on Monday 30 September 2024

A unique opportunity to work with 66 policymakers and experts from 25 countries in Europe and central Asia

And if you can't make it to Gastein this year, visit #UHCwatch at apps.who.int/dhis2/uhcwatch

Lynn holding UHC watch stickers in beautiful Bad Hofgastein

Look out for Young Gasteiner Lynn Al Tayara with #UHCwatch goodies at this year's European Health Forum Gastein @gasteinforum.bsky.social in beautiful Bad HofGastein, 24-27 September

#EHFG2024
#WHOBarcelona

More or Less - How do you count millionaires? - BBC Sounds Plus, asylum seeker costs, private school bets and Baumol's cost disease

Brilliant discussion of Baumol's cost disease, via string quartets, on this week's More or Less with @benzaranko.bsky.social

If you don't listen, you should
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Spanish state secretary for health talking about universal health coverage at a meeting organised by the Spanish health ministry, the EU, European Observatory & WHO/Europe

Universal health coverage is a prerequisite for efficiency in health systems, says 🇪🇸 state secretary for health @javierpadillab.bsky.social at an event organised by the Spanish health ministry, the EU, WHO/Europe & OBS Health

Spanish health minister speaking about universal health coverage at a meeting organised by the Spanish Ministry of Health, the European Commission, WHO/Europe and the European Observatory

Health minister @monicagarciag.bsky.social talks about the value of extending health coverage to EVERYONE in 🇪🇸 (including migrants) at an event with the EU, WHO/Europe & OBS Health

This is something 🇪🇸 already does better than most countries in Europe, as we note in iris.who.int/handle/10665... p 47

Flyer for a workshop on financial protection in the Western Balkans

#WHOBarcelona & the WHO Country Office in North Macedonia are convening around 30 policymakers from 🇦🇱 🇦🇱 🇧🇦 🇽🇰 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸 to share experience & identify strategies to make health care more affordable for people in the Western Balkans

10-11 September, Skopje

Thanks to 🇪🇺 DG NEAR for financial support

Screenshot of article cover page

Does it matter how you measure financial protection?

TLDR: yes

This article compares SDG indicator 3.8.2 to the measure used by #WHOBarcelona @WHO_Europe

It finds the European measure to be more sensitive to equity and to changes in coverage policy

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...