Description
The project addresses the need to protect the rights of the patients with regard to the cost of medication and access to and quality of the medical services provided. The project aims at protecting the rights of the patients through a Patient Act drafted by the decision-makers and the NGOs. First, an expert group will be set up made up of the stakeholders (patient NGOs, local communities, decision-makers, heads of hospitals and medical unions). Second, an information and advocacy campaign will be held in 28 cities to promote the Patient Act among the local stakeholders. Finally, the draft Patient Act will be developed and submitted to the National Assembly. The project will benefit the public, patients, patient organizations, the healthcare and hospital authorities and decision-makers.
Summary of project results
Some of the patients’ rights in Bulgaria have been laid down in several laws, others have not been regulated at all. It is urgently needed to have a law on the patients. The central position of the patient in Bulgaria has not been legally reinforced by a uniform legislative act. In the absence of law, there is lawlessness and we live in this reality. The project aimed at achieving Patients’ Rights Act. This is why a broad information and advocacy campaign was held among 728 representatives of the local authorities and the decentralized structures, 840 patients, 200 journalists, street rallies with citizens in 28 cities and 1720 questionnaires were filled in. The opinion of the following stakeholders from the NGO sector and professional organizations was consolidated, namely the Bulgarian Medical Association, Bulgarian Dental Association, Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals and the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union. Meetings were held with the following institutions: the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee, the Parliamentary Committee for Interaction with NGOs, the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Fund. An expert group of leaders of patient communities was set up in the beginning and the European experience with regard to the legislation in Europe regulating patients’ rights or consumer rights in the healthcare system was studied. After the survey was carried out, a bill on the rights and obligations of patients was developed by lawyers experienced in protection of healthcare rights. The bill was submitted to the National Assembly after we had filed a request to have it examined by the Parliamentary Committee for Interaction with NGOs and Citizens’ Complaints (PCINCC). The Public Council of PCINCC, the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee and the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria fully supported the bill. For more information, please, visit:
www.kzzbg.eu
Summary of bilateral results