Jill Evans MEP met with medical experts at Swansea University (Friday, 14th) to discuss how the European Union impacts health issues in Wales, as well as every other Member State of the E.U. Ms Evans argued that although health is a devolved field in Wales, and comes under the responsibility of the Welsh Government, the European Union still has an important role to play in shaping health policy. Jill Evans MEP, who is also President of Plaid Cymru, said,

“Healthcare issues are often cross-border, which means that what happens in one Member State can directly affect another. European law means that citizens of the EU can be medically treated in any of the Member State. This happened as a result of agreements on human rights, resources and cross-border cooperation issues. It’s imperative that we share medical expertise with our European colleagues, which will broaden our knowledge and improve healthcare in Wales.” Ms Evans went on to describe in detail how European policy is set, how nurses and healthcare staff can input policy and what’s on the agenda in Europe with regards to healthcare. The audience comprised of the Welsh chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the only International Nursing Honour Society that operates worldwide."

Ms Evans continued,

“It’s important to use organisations such as the STTI to discuss the work that’s being done internationally on healthcare issues. The Welsh branch of the organisation does valuable work in ensuring that the patients’ needs is given priority over everything else, and I totally agree with this. Plaid Cymru’s group in the European Parliament wants to ensure mobility for workers, especially in this time of economic crisis, while also ensuring that sufficient standards are maintained in order to guarantee the safety of patients and the standards of our hospitals.”

Diwedd/Ends.