Support for health investment (Heading 1.2.1.3 of the AWP 2020)

Deadline: Jun 3, 2020  
CALL EXPIRED

Background and purpose of the call:

Health stakeholders face challenges when it comes to planning, accessing and blending financing to respond to their health systems’ needs. Most health authorities are used to receiving direct funding from government budgets and EU grants; and do not possess sufficient skills for configuring investment strategies and plans. There is an evident need to improve the health sector's capacity to prepare investment plans, consolidate multi-source financing and use alternative financial instruments (such as loans, equity and payment-by-results schemes) for this purpose.

The call responds to recommendations of a recent study on health investments[1], which was commissioned by the European Investment Bank and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (and financed by the European Investment Advisory Hub), in particular, the recommendations concerning strategic planning and technical assistance for investments.

Objectives pursued and expected results:

Objectives:

1. To identify the health-related investments planned under Cohesion Policy Funds in the programming period 2021-2027
2. To develop a methodology and a toolkit to map health needs and existing health system assets (infrastructure and human resources) in the EU countries, which Member States can then apply to prepare health investment strategies, linked also to the use of Cohesion Policy Funds
3. To raise awareness, develop educational material, provide training (via the ‘train the trainers’ principle) and, ultimately, improve the capacity of health stakeholders to use financial instruments, consolidate multi-source financing and prepare investment plans and "investable" project propositions
4. To organise thematic and geographic workshops (minimum 30) and events to: disseminate the methodology, toolkit and educational material developed under Objectives 2 and 3; promote co-operation and mutual learning between Member States; and provide training for the purposes of Objectives 2 and 3, tailored to national context and processes

Expected Results:

• Catalogue of health-related investments planned in the Cohesion Policy Funds Operational Programmes in the programming period 2021-2027
• Methodology and Toolkit (both available online) to map health needs and existing health system assets (infrastructure and human resources)
• Collection of good practices based on case studies showing how to: develop health investments strategies and operationalise them with investment plans, use European Funds in these plans; access financing from alternative sources; and use innovative financing schemes (such as social outcomes contracting)
• Educational material (curriculum) on how to access financing, use and combine financial instruments and prepare investment plans and "investable" project proposals. This may take various formats of course material, which should all be available online, including e-learning modules to ensure broad dissemination of knowledge
• Report on thematic workshops combined with training courses on all the above, reaching all Member States and key stakeholders
• Report on the piloting of training materials in at least four regions in four Member States before the workshops
• Translated training material to all EU languages for national and regional authorities
• A database of at least 50 investment experts who can provide advice and technical assistance to stakeholders of health systems

Description of the activities to be funded under this topic:

This action shall concern three strands of activities:

1. Provide an overview of envisaged investments in health-related areas planned for implementation in the programming period 2021-2027 with the support of Cohesion Policy Funds
2. Provide support to Member States with the identification of health needs and mapping of available health system assets (infrastructure and human resources), which can then form the basis for strategic investment planning
3. Raise awareness and capacity of stakeholders[2] in the health sector on how to access financing, use and combine financial instruments, and prepare investment plans and projects

Expected impact:

The Action will produce materials that do not currently exist. The results shall make available best practices, methodologies, tools and training material that can be used by any Member State or region. Collectively, the activities and deliverables of the action will address an unmet need and a gap in the capacity of the health sector to prepare investments in health, as raised repeatedly by stakeholders (e.g. in the seminar "Strategic investments for the future of healthcare" organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety[3] and in the report of the High-Level Task Force on Boosting Investment in Social Infrastructure in Europe[4]).

Budget

Available budget for this topic: 1.500.000 EUR for 1 project.

The grant agreement will be awarded to the highest ranked proposal, up to the available budget of 1.500.000 EUR (EU-Contribution).

[1]https://eiah.eib.org/publications/attachments/report-health-sector-study-20180322-en.pdf

[2]National/regional authorities, health service providers, healthcare payers, investors and other stakeholders involved in the design, organisation and delivery of health services

[3]https://ec.europa.eu/health/investment_plan/events/ev_20170227_en

[4]https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/economy-finance/boosting-investment-social-infrastructure-europe_en