Standardization|22/02/16

Health services and social services should not be subject to standardization

Home > The news of EUROGIP and occupational risks in Europe > Health services and social services should not be subject to standardization

The DGUV, jointly with the KAN and other German organizations, is opposed to the standardization of health services and social services.

The standardization of products (beds, artificial heart, syringes, etc.) in the healthcare area is commonly recognized. But the standardization of services is booming and there is increasing lobbying for health services and social activities to also be standardized. The DGUV and the KAN are opposed to this, fearing that standards in this area might come into conflict with social systems that are “tried and tested and anchored in the legislation”. 

The organizations give a reminder in the newsletter KANBrief 4/2015 that:

  • Since health services are not subjected to the conventional market economic structure, they were excluded from the scope of application of the European directive relating to services (2006/123/EC);
  • As specified in Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Member States have general responsibility for their social security and health system.

Standards relating to health services therefore pose a problem if they affect the occupational risk prevention organization in the enterprise or the national insurance for occupational injuries, which provides health or social benefits based on specific national laws and regulations.

To find out more

Discover other news

Abroad

22/09/23

BELGIUM: what to expect from occupational illnesses in 2022

In 2022, around 38,500 people received compensation for permanent disability due to an occupational disease. And nearly 13,000 workers (private sector and provincial or local administrations, APL) filed a claim for compensation; 211 deaths were recognised, 73% of which were due to asbestos, 17% to silicosis and 10% to other diseases. These are the findings of the Fedris “Statistical Report on Occupational Diseases” 2022.

Abroad

22/09/23

FINLAND: the number of accidents at work rose in 2021

In 2021, more than 91,159 accidents at work occurred in Finland, around 4,500 more than in 2020. As in the previous year, construction workers (10,787), care and health service workers (9,367) and machine shop and foundry workers (7,162) were most affected.