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The diversity of actions undertaken by the autonomous communities in the NHS offers numerous opportunities for mutual learning and collaboration in the quality improvement endeavour. The following objectives have been set:

1. Describing, systemising, analysing and comparing information regarding health policies, programmes and services.

2. Promoting reproductive health policies that improve the quality of health care and support best practices.

3. Promoting sexual health policies that improve the quality of health care and support best practices.

Review of 2006-2008

As provided by the Law on Cohesion and Quality in the National Health Service, Annual Reports on the NHS have been prepared, published and disseminated during this period. Since 2007, two specific committees have participated in preparing them: the committee of experts, comprised of persons with expertise in the various aspects of planning and managing health systems (human resource management and planning, service provision, participation, innovation, equity, information systems, among others) and the institutional committee comprised of representatives of all the autonomous communities and the National Institute for Health Management (INGESA).
The Spanish NHS also collaborates with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies in revising and proposing lines of joint action in the area of publications and technical collaboration.

Activities planned 2009-2008

• The Annual Report on the NHS will be prepared, with the collaboration of the committee of experts and the institutional committee created for this purpose. The committee of experts has incorporated representatives of different units of the Ministry of Health and Social Policy that are related to the various sections of the report. The study greatly benefits from the collaboration and authorship of these units in the content areas within their field of expertise.

Existing collaboration with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies will continue.

Describing, systemising, analysing and comparing information regarding health policies, programmes and services
-Preparation of NHS Annual Report.
-Incorporation of units of the Ministry of Health and Social Policy related to the various sections of the Report.
-Collaboration with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

Promoting reproductive health policies that improve the quality of health care and support best practices
Review of 2006-2008

In 2007 the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System approved the Strategy for Attending Normal Births, which had been drawn up on a consensus basis by the health care administrations of the autonomous communities, scientific associations and women’s organisations. The Quality Plan has made it possible to further its implementation considerably by allocating to the autonomous communities 8 million euros annually with which to fund innovative practices aimed at improving the care given during delivery and the perinatal period, especially in the areas of: the promotion of breastfeeding, multicultural care, participation of fathers in childrearing, training of professionals and research.
A document on Standards and Recommendations for Hospital Maternity Wards has been drawn up and high-level training activities are underway for professionals designated by each autonomous community, who make the commitment to later replicate the training activities in their own services.

Activities planned 2009-2010

The actions described above will continue and will undergo evaluation. In addition, a Clinical Practice Guide on attending births, currently in the preparation phase, will be published and disseminated.
Existing scientific knowledge and health care practices regarding care during pregnancy, puerperium and the neonatal period will be revised with a view to broadening the current strategy to cover all reproductive issues and present it to the Interterritorial Council.

Reproductive health
-Funding and evaluation of best practices in the autonomous communities.
-Evaluation of the Strategy for Attending Normal Births and extension to reproductive health.
-Publication and dissemination of the Clinical Practice Guide on attending births.

Promoting sexual health policies that improve the quality of health care and support best practices
Review of 2006-2008

The first population-wide survey on sexual health has been conducted in Spain,and it is one of the first surveys of this type in all of Europe.
With the objective of preparing a strategy on sexual health, work has begun with the autonomous communities, scientific associations and social organisations, and information regarding existing services is being gathered.
A distance training programme on sexual health has been taught, with the participation of 500 professionals each year.
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Activities planned 2009-2010

Training activities will continue and expand with a view to reaching a greater number of professionals.
The results of the Sexual Health Survey will be published and disseminated at the national and international levels. The WHO-Europe has expressed interest in presenting it as a model for other countries.
Work is underway on the contents in the area of sexual health that are to be included in the NHS Strategy for Sexual and Reproductive Health, which will be presented to the Interterritorial Council.

Sexual Health
-Publication and dissemination of the results of the first Sexual Health Survey.
-Presentation of the NHS Strategy for Sexual and Reproductive Health.

 

Promoting health policies based on best practices