Contact EURACT

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(32) 16 33 74 64

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(32) 16 33 74 80

DENMARK

Basic Medical Education

No recent major changes since last meeting.

3 medical Faculties in DK (Copenhagen, Odense and Aarhus).

The student intake at the 3 Universities have been augmented by about 80% because of prognosis telling about lack of doctors in DK for the next 10-15 years. Many of these extra students are from Sweden – and many of them drop out early in the study making planning difficult – so some overbooking is now taking place.

A new thing will be: from 2004 the University in Odense stops with the «normal» examination with long written exams – a 2 day OSCE examination is introduced!

Continuing Medical Education

No compulsory CME – but our national bodies (Danish Medical Association and GP's Union) propose that every GP should be able to document 200 hours CME over a 4 year period. A web-system for registration of your CME is provided by the Danish Medical Association. The registration is your personal and can't be looked by others.

PLP (personal learning plans) is now promoted for GP's.

“A new deal” for GP's by April 1'st 2003 is increasing the reimbursement for GP's CME by about 75% over the next 3 years.

A discussion will take place: should the College be more responsible for CME-courses instead of our Medical Association?? If so it may have harmful influence on our relationship to consultants and young doctors – but there are also benefits. No answer yet.

Vocational training

There is – in autumn 2003 - one big educational issue (still) going on in Denmark: specialist training for all 37 specialities has to be dramatically changed from 2004 (1 year delay). Changes in regard to: length of training period/all trainees having a mentor/new blueprints and curricula for all specialities/more focus on training instead of “just work”/more formalised evaluation/“course-organisers” in all specialities/research training for all doctors.

The changes in VTS for General Practice are going to be very big!

And we have started (as the first speciality, of course): Sept. 1'st was the day! 4 counties started this date. – I gave a little presentation the same day about our new training scheme at the AMEE conference in Bern, Switzerland.

The process with writing this new blueprint has been very successful – and very expensive! The new European definitions have been built into it.
We have also created an electronic blueprint – on the web – and built together with this is our new electronic logbook (also on the web): all trainees “have their own” logbook – and their tutor can recognize/sign competencies in the logbook.

The challenge right now: to mobilize enough practices (esp. in Copenhagen area) to become training practices – this process is running right now – some problems have been solved – but more practices have to be recruited, yet.

The yearly meeting in the College October 3'rd (guest speaker Arthur Hibble, UK) will focus on Education and is part of this putting focus on education in GP.

Health Care

A new deal between GP's union and national health authorities has been negociated with success – it went in action by April 1'st. We as GP's are rather satisfied…. (total: extra 15.000 Euro per GP over the next 3 years – and many new smaller improvements).

A big issue in Danish health care is the lack of specialized doctors in the future – also in GP. It is a very dark cloud in the horizon. As many as 25 – 33% of GP's may be lacking in 10 years time. A new initiative has been taken by the College and the GP Union to seek out how to improve recruitment to GP (especially in more distant parts of Denmark) and how to persuade GP's to retire at a later age than intended (I take part in this task-force). Many ideas have been taken forward – no final plans made yet. It seems that a major issue for young doctors is being afraid of the big finances, they have to put into buying a practice.

There is a fear among GP-organisations that the Government will put Primary Care under the “Social System” instead of the “Health System” – and so make a division between Primary and Secondary Care. This will be a major drawback for GP we all think and fear. Discussion will stop in 6 months and a decision will be taken (not by us – but by “them”!).

What have I done in my country as a EURACT Council member?

1. Facilitate a link and seek support from their national college or association.
   I am still a member of the Board of the Danish College of GP's – so a very tight connection is established.
2. Facilitate the development of links with academic departments of family medicine in medical schools.
   We have 3 departments/medical schools. I have close connection to Aarhus (work part-time there!) – and also close connections to Odense and Copenhagen because of my post as chair of the Educational Committee of the College of Danish GP's.
3. Facilitate and develop links with national representatives of other European bodies (eg UEMO, EQuiP, EGPRW, European Society and other European organizations in family medicine).
   In Denmark the College has “an international committee” – and in this committee the national representatives of EURIPA, EQuiP, EGPRW and EURACT have seats together with other GP's. So a very tight connection is established. Meeting next week!
4. At the time of election council members should inform their local WONCA organization and seek their support for the successful candidate.
   I will certainly do so!